Whiskey

Came home today from work thinking I needed to go out for some whiskey. The only definite plan was to go to Ahn's hair shop for a haircut, and then maybe go to a cafe and plan for next weeks winter camp. So, packed the laptop and headed for the bus stop. I remember a comedian once saying that his grandfather used to make him stand next to him for 20 seconds- no eye contact, completely silent... and then the punchline was his grandfather was preparing him for those short moments in elevators. Well, stepping into the elevator, if you live on the seventh floor a quick anyoung haseyo (hello) and then que sera sera. Well, a white girl boards the elevator from the 4th floor. I've seen her with her 'Korean' boyfriend before, always making room on the elevator b/c of my precious bike, but this time she was alone. It annoys me whenever someone claims another person, no matter how subtle everyone knows the slight uncomfortable, what the fukc-ever, it's just annoying. Why are 9 out of 10 Western girls always a tad-out of shape here? Anyways, I do the comedian skit, but at the bus stop I suddenly remembered our one and only conversation from about 4 months ago. So, I ask her if she worked at the elementary school across the street. She said yes, and then I remember our Newsletter, how there were two contributing articles from a nearby elementary school. My article was about lunch time in Korea, how the lunch program is so much more sophisticated than the one in the States, and that the level of quality is mainly offered for wealthy schools in the U.S., blah blah blah, but the articles from Dang Dong Elementary were just great. The honesty of student responses are priceless. I suppose there is a fine line between an honest question and pure naivety. She worked at a different elementary school.
I consider my coworker just plain naive. Jesus Christ, a thorn on my side because I cannot share any ideas with this little girl. That is the problem with many esl instructors entering Korea, so many are so fucking average. You work with me, you are going to have to bring it. Too many things to say about that, but the main thing is no pride towards the students. Yes, be private with your colleagues if you must, but if a student asks you a question or just trying to communicate, then no bullshit shyness with them.

The elevator and bus trip: Katie and I had a great little chat about her spine problem and how she is taking Judo. Of course I mention yoga, but as the conversation continued she made it clear that she loves contact, check check sports. Yoga would make her fall asleep. I kept thinking how she looked like the shape of the bananas in banana milk. What do you do but smile without teeth. I advertise Ahn's hairshop to her and how cool the stylists are, the yin and yang of the sister owners of the shop- you want conservative you ask for Sunny, you want K-pop you ask for Jiny, blah blah blah and we part ways.

On to the whiskey. I go to a bar called Sam's and this place has the chic motif. There is some kind of seafood aroma and then I notice a lone lady eating take out, newspapers serving as a table cloth. Walking to the bar I notice the top shelf spirits and the velvet laced menu, two rocks glasses and a shot glass lined up for tastings... I just want a two finger whiskey. The ladies and I had a nice chat, struggling with the limited vocabulary I held up fine. Not too many gestures with my Korean language, the giggler from the girl who just couldn't contain herself from the 'foreigner', the lead bartender that had the cute grin, and the lone diner (the youngerst) who just kept staring. I wanted to offer some kind of eye drop. The two fingers ended up being four and at that point I needed a haircut.

Sunny and I catch up while she wore this alien helmet to protect her curls. I'm sure by next month she is going to dye her hair some orangie' color, but glad to hear that she is doing above average. Jiny the technician cuts my hair. She knows that for the past decade I've cut my own hair. I trust that she is not going to make me look like Big Bang or one of those pansies. I like a simple 'Bruce Lee' layered cut. She knows, and because of complications that I don't want to get into, she starts snipping away. Skilled, dexterous fingers she clips with calculated strokes. I like her lean, the tilt of her head, the precision of it all. She knows that I don't give a damn about style, but I tell her that I want to look good for my trip to Paris. Crosswords and concerts, and dancing from Brussels to Belleville I'm going to rock with my boy. He rips the stage and I groove like a come-back-kid boxer. Dancers til' dawn, bless your child to come... Enough of that, Jiny gives me the info and map for the Korean Language lessons for 4pm Sunday at some church. Then it was time for dart's at Jack's. What's the deal with the names of these bars, "Jack's, Sam's". You'd think there were pool tables, hustlers with trimmed fedoras, skimpy two-bit broads looking for quick cash...well everyone's looking for the same thing little lady,.. No, these two joints are straight arrows.

Darts: Korea is well known for archery. The flight of an arrow is romantic. The shot sequence is Zen-like. The bow string connects heaven and hell, and when released, a moment of knowing passes through you like electricity. Korean archers are remarkable. So on to darts. The dart bar I have the privilege to represent has top notch players. An average shooter there is a really good shot anywhere. Like the archers, the good dart shooters all have the same form- very mechanical like a pendulum on it's head. It's all in good fun. But I sense the competitiveness in the bar. Why not, people play to win- reach for a new pain level.

Now I slice the leftover beef from last night and add it to a steaming bowl of ramien. Changjorim~ this will taste good with any mustard sauce.