The face of trust

I go for a run. It's another long one, 16 km, and I stop for a quick toilet at kilo 14. Unfortunately, there is no toilet paper, and the bit I brought along in my pocket is soaked in sweat. So the last couple kilometres are a little slow. With about half a click left, an older dude comes running up behind me. He asks how long I've been running and all that. He's run 9 km and does so every day. We are talking in Korean, and I am pleased that he is understanding most of what I am saying.

We finish at the same place, and he instructs me on how to stretch afterwards. "Slowly here, keep your back straight."

We go through a series of lunges and toe touches and things. "If you stretch out properly you won't hurt tomorrow," he says. "Good, good," I say. "And a couple of beers don't hurt either," he says.

I get the feeling that he wants to be friends, so I put my hand on his bum. "That's not what I meant." He says, and removes my hand. "You old tease!" I accuse.

"That's it, Mark!" my wife come out from behind a bush, "I knew you weren't just out here running."
"What? What are you doing here?" I ask.
"You can go home now Mom. We got him." she says to the old dude.

The old dude takes slowly rips off a mask, and with a theatrical flourish, reveals my mother-in-law's face. My mother-in-law runs off cackling.

I look at my wife, who looks back at me with fury. "How could you betray me like this Mark? I'm sitting home pregnant, and you are out fraternizing with old men."
"How can you so distrust me?" I counter.
"It seems I had reason." she says coldly.
Beaten, I try a different tact, "I was just being friendly, Baby. You know I'm not interested in anyone but you."
"No Mark. I now see the true you. It's over."
"Baby..."
"Over!"
"But Baby, maybe you don't see the true me."

I slowly rip off a mask, and with a theatrical flourish reveal my mother-in-law's face. My mother-in-law runs off cackling.

I step out from behind another bush and smile at my wife. "What?" she says. "Got you." I say.

We walk off laughing, hand-in-hand.