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It took me a while to find the address written on the envelope. 

That old apartment was crouched way back in a narrow vacant lot stuck between two buildings, as if it was playing hide-and-seek. Because the entrance to the lot was particularly dark and the fog was obscuring it, I had a hard time spotting it even when I passed by it several times. 

Shortly, the door cracked open and a wrinkly face peeked out. 

“Mr. Bill Murray?”

“Yes, Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge.” 

편지에 적힌 주소지를 찾느라 한참을 헤맸다.

그 낡은 아파트는 술래잡기를 하듯

건물 벽 사이의 좁은 공터에 뒤로 쑥 물러나 웅크리고 있었다.

문을 두드리자 안쪽에서 우당탕탕,

요란하게 계단을 내려오는 소리가 울렸다.

잠시 후 문이 빼꼼히 벌어지며

쭈글쭈글한 얼굴 하나가 나타났다.

“빌 머레이씨?”

“예, 에브니저 스크루지씨” 

Various events took place around the globe in 2012 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens’ birthday. Nine Korean writers took part in that celebration by publishing a collection of short stories dedicated to the esteemed writer titled “Hello, Mr. Dickens.” Choi Jae-hoon’s “The Ghosts,” a sort of a sequel to “A Christmas Carol,” was one of the stories in that collection. 

Interview by literature critic Jeon So-yeong

Naming the main character Bill Murray was rather clever. There’s a movie actor by that name and he starred in “Ghostbuster,” a movie about trapping ghosts. Just from the names, we figure out that Bill Murray came to catch a ghost for Scrooge. The meeting of these two well-known characters paints a very clear, meaningful picture in our heads. It’s a very good, attention-grabbing beginning to a story.   

“You said it would cost me 30 schillings, right?” 

“36. I clearly told you there would be a 20% surcharge on Christmas.” 

“That’s what I can’t understand. You probably don’t have much work because it’s Christmas, so you should give me a discount instead of charging me extra.”

“Well, you can always look for someone else.” 

“Damn it. Alright, I will pay you what you asked for if you take care of this matter tonight.” 

“ 비용은 30실링이라고 했죠?”

“36실링. 크리스마스라 20%의 할증이 붙는다고 분명히 알려드렸을텐데요, 스크루지씨”

“그게 이상하다는 거요.

 크리스마스라면 어차피 일거리도 없을 텐데, 오히려 에누리를 해줘야 하는게 아니오.

 얼토당토않은 할증 대신에”

“정 그러시다면, 다른 사람을 알아보시죠” 

“제길~ 알았소. 오늘 밤 일만 제대로 처리해준다면 약속한 대금을 지불하리다”

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Choi Jae-hoon (Born in 1973, Seoul)

: Debuted with short story “The Castle of Baron Curval” in 2007

Won the 44th Hankook Ilbo Literary Award in 2011