So I usually find myself largely ignoring old Korean men, as their stoic and perpetually angry expressions are extremely off-putting, if not completely intimidating altogether. Generally speaking, they are just not very happy/active individuals.. (Although there was that one time, when, after having slept for a mere 3 hours before having to work at an event outdoors, I decided to take a quick nap whilst walking through the park--Hey, it's called multi-tasking!--and upon opening my eyes I saw an old Korean male riding a UNICYCLE off in the distance. (How he was able to obtain a real-life, uber-fun unicycle in a country where the general populous doesn't have time to enjoy life I shall never know.) I nearly tripped over my own two feet out of shock and utter confusion. And then I laughed hysterically (maybe it was the extreme fatigue??) until he disappeared out of the park. Priceless.) That being said, they usually don't bother me, aside from the routine stares that I get from either being A) non-Korean, B) not white, or C) all of the above. So everybody's happy! Or not...
I don't know whether or not the price of tea in China has changed (Ha! Such a stupid phrase..But alas, I love it. Sigh.), but for some reason these "adjosshis" (as old Korean men are referred to here) have suddenly taken an extreme interest in my existence??
So I'm on one of the last buses coming back to my area on a week-night. As I am so entranced by my music (so as to remain awake and to keep my mind off the length of the bus ride), I do not notice the fact that all the people have gotten off, and I am the only passenger left until the bus abruptly stops and I hear the bus driver (also an adjosshi) yell something to me. So I look around, apologize, and quickly exit the bus VERY confused, as this bus was supposed to take me to my final destination, but whatever. So upon exiting the bus and seeing legions of Korean teenage boys dressed in school uniforms (it had to be after 10:30 at this point), I realized that I was at a bus station of some sort. Luckily for me, other buses were departing, so all that I had to do was chase the next one (Literally, as buses do not stop unless they are flagged down and chased. Silly people who actually WANT to ride buses!) and hop on. As it was at it's point of origin, it was refreshingly empty, and I resumed listening to my music and getting mentally prepared to the long ride ahead. After remaining relatively empty, a few stops later a group of people boarded. Anticipating the need for seats, I moved my bag into my lap from the seat next to me. Whhhhyy 'o whhhyyyy did I do that??? A few seconds later, out of the corner of my eye I observed an old man who was walking down the aisle take notice of me, and then sprint toward the seat next to me. SO I just turned up my music and proceeded to ignore his existence, as is common. (Again, Koreans=not bubbly individuals.) Imagine my surprise when he began to scoot closer and closer to me. I instinctively moved closer and closer to the window each time, until there was no room left and I realized that whatever was happening was no coincidence. So as I continued to ignore him, he starts poking me in my arm/side to get my attention. Annoyed at being poked, I look up to see him smiling (scary, given that they.don't.smile.ever. I'm pretty sure that he even had a gold tooth in the back, too!?) and pointing to his business card, which has magically appeared in his hands. I smile politely and take the card (using TWO hands of course, so as not to offend), and then nod slightly to show respect. After pretending to read/take interest in what it says (actually it was mostly written in English?? Something about being a wedding planner? Huh???), I start to put the card in my bag. He then, grabs my hand and attempts to speak English to me using a series of random verbs and pantomiming. Since I somehow understand him, I nod in agreement. He then resorts to Korean to ask me about going on a date with him, eating, drinking ("a little"--his exact words--which is also a complete lie. After attending a festival a while back, I noticed that the pamphlet said, "You think you drink like fish?? Well, Korean drink like WHALE!!" No arguing that!), and seeing a movie (I think?? maybe I'm getting him confused with another one from yet another bus...). (Side note: these are the same people who are known to openly insult white men who are even walking with Korean women. Koreans will tell you that they are "one race," and they are doing everything in their power--especially the old men--to main that distinction! Keep that in mind.) It's then that I realize his motives, and pretend not to have understood any of his requests. I smile politely and turn back around to face the window. I then feel him vigorously patting the left area of my chest (The fact that I'm a girl makes it a wee bit more than that.) with one hand and touching my knee with the other. Mortified, I turn around and push his hand away. "What are you doing? Don't do that" I tell him, but he is so excited to talk that after stopping, he resumes, only this timely slower, and even more child-like. He's now telling me that he is happy to meet me and that he works with people who are getting married. Again, trying not to be rude, I tell him, in Korean, "don't do that" and wave his hand away. I look around the bus and there are only a few, nearly life-less bodies scattered around, all collectively engulfed in their perpetual tiredness. (Not that they would've cared anyway. He's
And yet again, no tip.
(I sprint to my apartment, relieved that I'm off that bus and away from the old Korean man with the gold molar who will be awaiting my call the next day. I chuckle at my luck, not realizing that two not dissimilar situations were about to happen to me again on two different buses a mere two days later...Yiiiiiikkees...)
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