Last night, I had a dream.
It was a world where you could do an unimaginable number of things with a smartphone.
You could order anything you wanted just by looking at the screen, and even watch wars happening on the other side of the globe in real time.
There was even this bizarre object called a drone flying through the sky, killing people and making deliveries—just like in the sci-fi movies I used to watch occasionally.
In that world, I was an orthopedic doctor in the countryside, and many people came to me for treatment.
The President, National Assembly Members, chaebols, celebrities, and beautiful female idols all came seeking relief for back and leg pain.
People respected me, and I enjoyed great fame and wealth.
Such a different life from now, when I humbly serve as a military doctor in general surgery at the army hospital.
Still, there was one thing that remained the same.
The 회종시계 (old folding pocket watch) that the me of that world casually picked up was exactly the same—an old, entirely golden folding pocket watch.
And then my vision went dark.
-Click!!!
“Huff! Huff!!! What was that just now? That was a future world I’d never seen before. Smartphones aside, what the heck is a drone?”
On the morning of June 22, 2001, Kim Cheolsu woke up panting and checked the folding pocket watch.
He’d gotten up unusually early after a long time.
7:20 AM.
Though annoyed by the incomprehensible dream, he got up and stepped out into the yard through the Maru.
-Crack crack!!
Unknown mountain birds flew over and perched on the jujube tree, chirping away.
-Cock-a-doodle-doo!!!
The vigorous crowing of the neighbor’s rooster heralded the morning, filling the countryside with its rustic charm.
He hadn’t fully adapted to life here yet, but he had definitely moved to a rural village in Hampyeong.
The sunlight began to shine over the mountain ridges, illuminating his home, while a jujube tree that was hundreds of years old cast a cool shade overhead.
Once again, he thought it was good to have come down to the countryside.
Though he had briefly been admitted to Hampyeong Armed Forces Hospital, he had never had a chance to explore this kind of rural village before.
He’d only passed through on evacuation buses along the road.
But the Hanok House he lived in, whether it was haunted or not, was truly magnificent.
The beautiful tiled roof house, comparable to Gyeongbokgung that he had briefly visited as a child, must have once belonged to a noble family long ago.
From the tiled house on the hill overlooking the village, he could see the villagers working below.
Farmers rolled up their pants to their knees to wade into the fields without getting wet, and he could see elderly farmers tending to the pumpkin field, removing the outer shoots at a glance.
He thought it would be delicious to get a pumpkin and make pumpkin porridge or simply boil it to eat.
Actually, he preferred the sweet pumpkin (danhobak) for boiling—it’s naturally sweeter, and scooping it out with a spoon is truly tasty.
Smiling at the thought, he stepped outside, planning to take a stroll through the village.
But then, he encountered an unexpected visitor.
“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”
-Woof! Woof!
A black dog with a filthy coat limped over, whining.
It looked like a young pup but didn’t seem to be from the neighborhood.
It was probably abandoned from the city and had somehow wandered here.
Though dirty and limping on a leg, it was still a living creature, so he scooped it up into his arms and went inside, opening his medical bag.
At times like this, he regretted not being a veterinarian. But there was nothing he could do now.
Feeling sorry, he gently touched the dog’s injured leg.
-Whine…! Whine…!!
“Does it hurt? What should I do…”
Though not an orthopedic doctor, it was clear the bone wasn’t broken. The ligament seemed a bit stretched, but if left like this, it could worsen.
He took a cast from his medical bag, cut it to fit the dog’s leg, and applied it like a splint, wrapping it carefully with bandages and tape.
Recalling his undergraduate days, he wrapped the ankle three times, then the rest of the paw, and finally wound the bandage up the calf so the cast fit snugly against the bone.
-Woof…! Woof…!!!
The dog, now half-casted, kept trying to bite him as if still wary.
“You ungrateful thing. I treated you for free and you try to bite me? Go away!”
-Whine…! Whine…!!
But when he tried to chase it off, the dog’s whining softened his heart again.
He wiped off the dirt with a wet towel and gave it a little food.
Placed on the wide wooden porch, the pup, now full, rolled onto its back, clearly feeling good.
“Being a dog sure isn’t so bad. But don’t move much with that half cast, alright? Stay right there. I’ll be back after work.”
…
The way it stared at him like a master was utterly ridiculous.
Not a veterinarian, and yet here he was dealing with a dog at dawn.
Seeing the dog lying on the porch with a half cast made him feel sorry for it.
Having done all he could, he hoped for a quick recovery and hurried to get dressed for work in his uniform.
“Today, no more being late. At least I have some conscience.”
Leaving the house, Kim Cheolsu quickly passed by the farmers working in the fields.
Someone with a wide-brimmed hat pulled down to avoid the sun called out to him.
“Hey! Kim Cheolsu! Where are you headed?”
It was Village Chief Go, with whom he had shared boiled pork and makgeolli just the other day.
Cheolsu waved enthusiastically and shouted,
“Sir! Did you sleep well? I saw you the day before yesterday but missed you yesterday. How have you been?!”
“… What? Calling me ‘sir’ like that… is he crazy?”
-Hehe. Village Chief Go’s drinking with an outsider again, calling him brother-in-arms?
-Over sixty and making sworn brothers with a young man? Well, that’s good. He should run over quickly when his brother calls.
The villagers laughing nearby made Village Chief Go’s face flush.
“Oh, this is troublesome. I don’t remember at all, so where on earth did he get that brotherhood from? Hey Kim Cheolsu! Did I swear brotherhood with you the other day?”
“Yes. You definitely did… but I must have made a mistake, Sir.”
“Hmph! I must have been drunk to do that. But where are you off to now?”
“On my way to work. I need to get to the hospital.”
“I know you’re busy, but could you take a look at me for a moment? I’ll give you some sweet pumpkins for it.”
Already harvested sweet pumpkins? Boiling those until soft and splitting them open to scoop out with a spoon is a real treat… he thought, but he couldn’t just agree blindly.
Rural elders saw doctors as cure-alls, but a general surgeon had many limits in treatment.
He wished he were an orthopedic specialist. The old man was probably going to ask about his bones. He must have gotten hurt doing farm work.
“Please tell me where it hurts. Then I can introduce you to a doctor I know.”
“Introduce? If I had time to go to a hospital, I’d ask you directly. I’m too busy with the farm. Just come here.”
“Yes.”
The elder stretched out under the shade of a tree, rubbing his hip.
“It’s hard to sit cross-legged like this. My groin hurts.”
“Really? That’s not a good symptom…”
“Is it serious?”
“Do you feel much discomfort when walking?”
“Yeah, it’s uncomfortable. I limp a bit… I’m not even seventy yet, but I’m ashamed of this.”
Without an X-ray, there was no way to diagnose his condition here.
Besides, Cheolsu wasn’t an orthopedic specialist anyway.
He opened his mouth to tell the man to visit the hospital, but…
“I think I need to go to the hospital… Argh!!!”
“Why?! What hurts?!”
Suddenly, Cheolsu grabbed his head and collapsed.
His head felt like it was splitting apart.
He sensed the villagers gathering around. He tried desperately to stay conscious, but the pain was overwhelming.
Eventually, he fainted and fell to the ground.
“Kim Cheolsu!!! Are you okay?! Shouldn’t we call 119?!”
*****
Some time later, Kim Cheolsu propped himself up from lying down, still holding his throbbing head.
He didn’t quite understand what had just happened.
One thing was clear: something unimaginable and strange had happened to him.
Could the house really be haunted by a ghost?
“Doc, are you alright? What’s going on? I was so startled—should I call an ambulance now?”
Looking up at Village Chief Go’s hip, which looked transparent like an X-ray, Cheolsu answered with a baffled expression.
“I’m… okay. Please see to the others first. I will continue with the examinations.”
“Are you sure? I feel uneasy, like it’s my fault…”
“I’m fine. Please take care of the others.”
Though his mind was a chaotic mess, flooded with strange new knowledge and experiences, Cheolsu now felt confident.
He was sure he could accurately diagnose Village Chief Go’s condition.
He sat the chief back down and stared intently at the hip.
“It’s avascular necrosis of the femoral head. It’s a disease where blood flow to the hip joint is blocked, causing bone tissue to die. Judging from how white the bone looks on the scan, there seems to be mild collapse in the early stages of necrosis, which causes your pain. How bad is your pain now?”
“Now that sounds like a real doctor! That’s the kind of clear explanation I want. The pain isn’t too bad—so-so.”
“If the pain worsens, the joint surface will become irregular, and degenerative arthritis will develop. If it gets very painful, you may need either a joint-preserving rotational osteotomy or an artificial joint replacement. But you’re fine for now. I’ll monitor your condition regularly. It’s best to avoid surgery if possible. Artificial joints have limited lifespans and may require revision surgery later.”
“Are you really sure surgery isn’t needed? I trust your diagnosis because you seem so confident, but still…”
“Then I’ll do a physical exam. Lie down for me.”
After lowering the doubtful Village Chief Go, Cheolsu placed one ankle on the opposite knee.
He pressed down so the leg formed a horizontal “4” shape.
The foot touched the ground, meaning the situation was not severe. In severe necrosis, the leg cannot be lowered.
“Does it hurt?”
“Not really. Well, maybe a little, but nothing serious.”
“See? You’re still okay, so it’s best to avoid surgery. Orthopedic doctors recommend surgery mainly for money. You also drink a lot, don’t you?”
“Am I your wife? Don’t nag me; just give me some medicine.”
He scratched his nose awkwardly—a sure sign he drank quite a bit.
He’d had a lot during their boiled pork and makgeolli night, too.
Cheolsu shifted into the stern, serious doctor mode.
“I can prescribe painkillers to ease your symptoms, but fundamentally it won’t change the condition. Just stop drinking. With your level of necrosis, it won’t get worse if you quit. It might even improve.”
“Really? If I stop drinking, will I heal? You sure about that?”
“I swear by my medical license. Stop drinking. Next time I catch you drinking in front of me, you’ll be scolded.”
“Hmph, if the doctor says so, I’ll do it. Alright, I gotta get going.”
Village Chief Go looked rather glum. It was understandable—being told to give up his beloved drink was a disappointment.
But if he continued drinking, the necrosis would worsen and develop into degenerative arthritis.
Cheolsu spoke firmly to prevent that.
“I’ll check with your wife next time. No drinking, understood? You can have some when the pain subsides. Got it?”
“You’re persistent, doc. Fine! Fine! Now scram!”
“Haha! Understood. See you next time.”
“Stop by my place on your way home. I’ll have some well-cooked sweet pumpkins ready for you to eat.”
Though gruff, the old man was warm-hearted.
Cheolsu smiled, feeling good from the elder’s kindness.
“Yes! I’ll definitely come!”
-Clip clop
-Clip clop
-Clip clop…
After finishing his first orthopedic examination, Cheolsu walked down the quiet country road toward the hospital, deep in thought.
He didn’t know how it had happened, but seeing like an X-ray and having orthopedic knowledge flood his mind was undeniable.
That meant he didn’t need to waste time idly at the army hospital anymore.
Looking forward to treating the many orthopedic patients he would face, he quickened his pace.
He was already maxed out as a general surgeon; now he wanted to build his career as an orthopedic doctor step by step.
That was the best way to help more patients.
“My folding pocket watch… the one I picked up under the jujube tree, it brought me luck!!! Haha! I don’t know if it’s possession by a ghost or what, but this is truly incredible fortune!!”