Life Is Good - Adaptation by Taehyun Kim

This adaptation illustrates KMLA version of Holden, who is more cynical and sarcastic. The essay is based on the very first scene where Holden is visiting Mr. Spencer.

     The weird story starts on the day I left KMLA. KMLA is a school in Hoengseong, Gangwondo. You've probably heard of it. They say it's famous. You've probably seen those damn booklets they send out here and there. If you see them, you mighta think my school's really in for raising future global leaders and all, but there nothing more than one or two hours of special lectures on leadership every year and that's all. There's nothing more about being a damn leader than in other schools in Korea. Maybe a two or three could make it, but they probably came to KMLA that way.

     I was walking down the hill, apart from those others who were having a Christmas party in the gym. The reason I wasn't up there was because I was on my way to say goodbye to Mr. Sung, the old physical education teacher. He lived in 가정관. I could leave without saying anything to him, but at least he was the one whom I liked the most in the school. That's because he didn't say boring stuffs like Jean Jacques Rousseau or capacitor in his class. He never did.

    I forgot to tell you about reason I was leaving here. I was leaving and never coming back. They kicked me out. I am to attend Wonju-high school from after the Christmas vacation, cause I received more than six F's on my subjects for two semesters in a row. The school'd given me those damn warnings after exams, but they gave me nothing more. They just said I was going to leave soon if I continued that way. Not that I had longed for their help and all, but I thought it was unfair. They probably thought me as a lousy problem-kid from the beginning and had waited to kick me out as soon as I qualified to be so. I was trying to feel some sorta goodbye, cause at least it was my school. But no special feeling swept across me, only the chilly winds.

    I urged my footsteps a bit more. It was getting cold. My roommate once said it makes him feel good when he runs down this byway. I suddenly remembered his words and thought of running, but gave up because I knew it would make me pant. I didn't like it, so I just walked until I reached the 가정관.

 
    I was standing in front of it in two minutes. It was gleaming dim lights. I stopped to ponder if I really wanted to visit Mr. Sung or not. But I thought I came down too far to go back without doing anything else, so I stepped inside the building. It was senile as old Mr. Sung. I went up the stairs and turned left on the corner to reach his room, 204. Nothing had changed from my last visit. That was when I broke one of his bow. He wasn't pleased at me, but he wasn't mad either. He just listened to my apology and let me go. That was another part of him that I liked. I wondered what he was going to say this time, if I told him I was leaving the school. Maybe he wouldn't say anything, just like the last time. Anyways, I knocked on his door.