No, "the Korean gangster" is not me. I'll explain later. So today, the 9th of June, are two birthdays for two special friends of mine: James St. Clair and Bobby Leigh. James is my Sacramento friend who teaches at Yeonhwa Middle School next door to me. Bobby is the big black man who teaches at an all-boys middle school near Incheon Bus Terminal. We celebrated together last night in Bupyeong with a kalbi dinner. However today on their actual birthdays, James opted to go to "Everland" with his friend Doug, wheras Bobby and I did not want to go to an amusement park because it would not be that "amusing" to us (no pun intended). So James suggested to me to go spend the day with Bobby in Seoul, which I did.
Today, James is 26 years old, and amazingly, Bobby is a whopping 47! He's near my dad's age! But his attitude and demeanor really make him around 30, so I really feel comfortable hanging around him because of his outloud attitude and friendliness, yet subtle insights to life. Bobby is like an old hand on the ship: he knows the ropes of life and tells many good a story about his experiences around the States and the world (used to be in the Air Force).
So, I was sort of Bobby's tour guide to Seoul today, and I tried to find certain places we could hang out, walk, and enjoy some new sights of downtown. We went to three places today in Seoul: Apgujeong, Gangnam, and Insadong. However, to sum it up really quick, we ran into some bizarre incidences along the way that made his birthday really and special:
1. Before even meeting Bobby in Bupyeong, I went to the local Lotte Mart (Korea's Wal Mart) to get a new lamp for the apartment. I could not find the lamps, so instead of asking a Korean associate, I asked a white woman shopping down the aisle. I started speaking English, then all of a sudden she says, "wow! I thought you were Korean! You speak really good English!" I was like gee, wow, I guess there is a cultural stigma here in Korea that even though Korea spends about 2% of its GDP on English education alone, they don't actually expect Asians to speak English! But keep this story in mind, big time, because you probably know of a proverb in life of: "what goes around, comes around," or "what you sow, you will reap." So, for her assumption to think since I was Asian and I speak good English, will come back and bite me in the butt, later in Bobby's birthday (story 3).
2. Bobby is Black and I'm Half Indian/Korean, and along the way in a section of town called Apgujeong, a rich section of Seoul, we ended up meeting and talking to two foreigners, who also happened to be a black man and an Indian man from the States. So we talked to our "clones." We made jokes that these were our twins, which we got a good laugh out of because they looked nothing like us, we just had their respective skin colors. So we tried to ask these guys for directions, but the place we were in did not have much to offer and we headed to Gangnam, the Manhattan of Seoul. We spent an hour there, checking out some of the shopping sights, eating lunch, and making jokes about the fashion styles of Koreans, especially the women, who all look like plastic China dolls with make-up so plastered that they put Oprah to shame, and high heels so tight they tip over any minute with a gust of wind. We also had a really great, insightful conversation on how Korea these days is becoming materialistic, as the young generation do not know the hardships of the old Koreans (me too), and just like Americans, could slowly run into decay on the importance of life and truth. Materalism kills, and money only causes more problems in every society regardless of tradition and history.
3. "The Korean gangster:" this is one of those top ten stories for the year. Remember story one about the woman who was surprised I spoke English? Well, read this. On the way to a section of town called "Insadong," the art district of Seoul, Bobby and I were chilling, sitting in the subway car, talking about many of things, relaxing, until this Korean man in a suit, unbuttoned, shirt pop opened walks up, stands in front of us, and holds the handle bars above him for balance. I look up, and I see markings on his chest. So being curious as I am, I realize its a massive tattoo. You could not see much, but you knew that he had something marked all over his body. So, like story one, with the prejudice set in my mind now about how other Asians "don't know English," I fired out loud to Bobby: "see the guy in front us, he has a huge tattoo on his chest. He must Yakuza or something." I said this in a conversational voice, so you could hear me. Bobby looks at me in agreement, then he looks up...then I look up...and realize, this gangster-looking dude was looking at me as if he recognized what I said..."Are you talking about me?"
Mark's Mind: ("Ohhhhh crap.") That was the first thing I thought, as I suddenly realized that he spoke English! What comes around CAME AROUND! Thanks to that Aussie woman, I made an assumption about a man of my own race, that he could not speak English because he was Korean! But was remarkable was that I fired back in conversation like it was all normal, and I did not even apologize: "So, I noticed the tattoo on your chest, did it hurt?" He responded, "No, I'm used to pain, in fact, its all over my body (he nods his head that the tattoo ran from his head to his legs!)...so where are ya'll from?"
Bobby: "Ohio."
Mark: "Maryland."
Gangster: "I see...what do you do here?"
Mark: "Teacher."
Bobby: "Teacher."
Mark: "What about you?"
Gangster: "I was in the States...I was locked up for 13 years, until the government decided I was too dangerous and deported me."
Mark and Bobby's Mind: (Oh my gosh, 13 years, and the DEPORTED HIM!?)
Gangster: "Yeah, blah blah blah..." (He said something that I could not comprehend)
Subway Intercom: "This station is Anguk, Anguk. The doors open on the left."
Mark: "Well, nice to meet you, take care." (Gets up and leaves)
Bobby: "See ya man."
Gangster: "Alright dawg, see ya later."
(As Mark and Bobby walk away)
Mark and Bobby together: "13 YEARS!?"
Bobby: "What did he do to deserve 13 years!? Man, Mark, you almost got us killed!"
Mark: "I DIDN'T KNOW HE SPOKE ENGLISH!"
Bobby: "Dang, he was that dangerous that our government deported him?"
So, we had this infamous joke going all day that on Bobby's birthday, we were very close to getting clobbered by this Korean Yakuza guy, who looked as rough as they come. But I kid, in all honesty, he was not mad or anything, his tone of voice was normal, so we did not feel intimidated about him.
Yet I learned a valuable lesson that day: never talk about anyone on the subway, English, Korean, Spanish or whatever language. With a globalized world, you never know who might be listening, or if they might speak your language. Two, don't talk about a man who has a thick-mass tattoo on his chest, with gold earrings to back him up. Good thing that his 13 years behind bars did not get me roughed up today!
We honestly had a good laugh about the incident, but I do take this story to heart about the power of gossip and discussion: just don't do it, even if they do not or do know the language. That was a wake up call f'real.
But other than that, it was a good birthday for Bobby, because he said seriously would have been alone if I had not called him up. No one should be alone for their birthday. Its funny how life brings bizarre incidences, but God can use them to teach lessons for those who love Him.
Marky out...
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