Cute and Beautiful Mango

A cute boy made me buy expensive pineapple today. He saw me waiting to cross the street and gave me a huge smile and wave, pineapple in hand. I looked behind me, usually my first reaction. When I realized that he was smiling at me, I swore in my head, if I had been walking I would crossed the street elsewhere, but I was already waiting. I knew he would make me taste his pineapple. I crossed the street and tried to stay in the middle of crowd, but he had me marked. He cut a piece and made me eat it. Then he grabbed my hand (he had soft hands) and pulled me over to the pineapple truck. Then he charged me 4000 won for a bag of cut pineapple. At first he wanted me to buy three bags, what would I do with three bags of pineapple? I paid and quickly left, rather embarrassed. I was on my way to Dunkin Donuts for an iced coffee beverage (it was that kind of day). After I bought my coffee, I took the long way back to school so that I wouldn’t have to pass the pineapple sellers again.

And on Saturday I transvestite made me eat his candy. I was rushing to the subway to meet Sarah as she passed through Ssangmun. A transvestite was talking into a microphone in front of the LG store. I just assumed it was for a LG promotion (usually dancing girls in little tiny skirts are the promotion, I kind of liked this change). However, as I drew I near, I could see him single me out, I tried to walk faster. No good, he caught my arm and pulled me over to a table while yelling things at me. On the table was a nougat type traditional candy. He continued to yell things at me and then grabbed my hand (he was wearing gloves) and forced me to take a piece of candy. I took it and quickly ate it, assuring him it was delicious, but that I was in a hurry. As I rushed away, he continued to yell at me. It wasn’t a mean yelling, just a loud yelling.

Easter Sunday, I was walking past a church and some kids (in church sashes, Korean Christians love their sashes) were handing out hardboiled eggs. As I walked past I could see them whispering. Then two of them finally got up the courage. They ran over to me, shoved three hard-boiled eggs in my hand and then giggled. I said thank-you (in Korean) and then said “Happy Easter”. They were rather tickled at this.

Sometimes I hate hate hate standing out all the time. I never blend here, I can never just disappear into a crowd or go unnoticed. However, clearly, being an visible outsider has its advantages sometimes. Like the ladies in the grocery store under the school know Sally’s and my name. The ladies in the Kimbap place know what we like to eat and despite them know zero English, we can still joke around. Sometimes people are so excited to have us in their restaurants and they give us free stuff. I don’t know if this makes it worth being so obvious all the time, but it makes it not so bad.

But tragedy! The Kimbap restaurant shut down today! It is totally closed and gutted. Does this mean the end of Kimbap? Do you know how far the nearest one is? Like four blocks and I have to cross a street. Also, I was really excited to show off Bryan to the ladies. They would have laughed at him so much. I am actually heart broken. There were four different women who worked there and one man and they were all so friendly and funny. I am hoping it is just a reno, but I’m not hopeful. Stuff changes so fast here, it will probably become something lame, like a store full of cute clothing that I can wear.