Random scenes in Seoul

Yesterday morning I stopped by to buy some kimbab 김밥 at one of the places that sells rolls for 1,000 won (about $.80, depending on how much the Korean or U.S. government have screwed up their respective currencies).

I stop by there often so of course the woman there recognizes me. Of course, they probably recognized me from the first time I went there...

Yesterday, she asked in Korean if I liked tan mu gi 단무지. I said yes, that I loved it.

As I was trying to pay, she hurriedly cut some up right then, then fed it to me, like I was a 6 year old child...

I could see everyone in the shop watching...

then, I said, "맛있어요!" delicious!

I could see everyone smiling. I'm surprised they didn't start applauding.

* * *

Friendly fights

Saw a funny fight the other day. Two guys in a restaurant were wrestling with each other, knocking over at least one table. I watched, not really interested in getting involved. They could be two friends fighting over a woman or for some other reason, but they might unite against me. The best way to end a civil war is to have an outsider come in and try to break them up.

An older Korean then went rushing over from a different restaurant to yell at them to stop.

Which they did.

They then walked outside. I watched for a minute...they started staring at each other, as if they were ready to fight again...

one of the fighters then handed his opponent his fellow pug a cigarette and lit it for him.

Too bad, I thought, that it wasn't an exploding cigarette. They seemed to talk a little, still eyeing each other before they took a seat. I then left, sure that they started fighting again a few minutes later...

Friends don't let friends drive drunk PSA

I told the story about the rassling match I had seen to a Korean colleague. He said I was right, they could have been friends just having too much to drink, no reason to get involved.

He then told a story from his drinking days (which I don't think have really ended). A friend of his way past drunk was determined to drive home. My colleague tried to get the keys from him but the guy wouldn't listen.

So my colleague wound up and absolutely leveled his friend in the face. That then started a tremendous fight between the two of them. My colleague said he was winning and had his friend on the ground and almost had the keys...

until his body suddenly remembered that it was drunk, at which point he threw up on his friend.

I suggested that would be a great Public Service Announcement...two guys fighting over the car keys, with a friend doing his best to rassle the keys away from his even more drunk friend before throwing up all over him.

Then, the voiceover: "If you drink and try to drive, a friend could beat you up and throw up all over you. So give up the keys."

CJL

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