July 2009
Monday evening started as a get-together and ended up being a party. After my last writing, I went out to talk to YK and Dad, and they said, “Jamyung is coming in 15 minutes”. So much for a nap. In fact, no one had a nap on Monday, and we were suffering because of it.
So, it started with Dad, YK, Jasmine, Kathy, Hyun, and I, but soon the Seed Doctor, JM, Euigyoo, Hyngji, Eunkyung, Ahnsook, and Professor Chan Park, not necessarily in that order, all showed up. Jamyong and Euigyoo are longtime friends and I spent some time with their daughter Hyangji the last time I was in Korea. Jamyong and Euigyoo came with 10 bottles of soju and 10 bottles of maekju (beer) and a watermelon and introduced to me so-maek, a shot of soju in a glass of beer. No, the watermelon was not in so-maek, but it made for a good snack. At one point in the evening, after many bottles of soju were emptied, someone looked in the refrigerator and counted the remaining bottles. There were 9 full bottles left. Someone called it a miracle.
Since we did not really have a dinner, YK and Dad went on a quick run around and came back with a myriad of snack to serve as dinner. It was “sel-pu” or help yourself to whatever we have. They also got a lot of ramen, because everyone likes ramen when they have been drinking. Hyunji mentioned that the spread was similar to camping. I think she was led to believe that her parents’ friends were taking her out to a nice dinner.
In Insadong earlier in the trip, I bought for YK and me a splat pig. Through some mystery of modern science, these small water-filled hand-sized toys splat against things and then reform. This apartment is perfect for it because the pig can splat against the walls, floor, ceiling, and the windows. As the imbibing continued, my pig made an appearance, and everyone marveled at its skills. YK and I took a liking to the particular splat of the pig against the window. Euigyoo, waiting his turn patiently, grabbed the splat pig and threw it against the window and it EXPLODED. Water went everywhere. Everyone laughed and Eigyoo felt terrible. It was totally worth 1000 won (80 cents).
At one point, Eunkyung, a friend of Jamyong and Euigyoo’s, disappeared into the kitchen and made a full pot of kimchi soup with all the camp snacks. Then, someone wanted ramen, and she again made another pot of soup with whatever she could find in the sparse kitchen. I think she continued doing this throughout the evening, and knowing how different the foods were and how little there was to actually make a cohesive meal, I am convinced she is a food wizard.
This all started a 5 PM, and Dad dipped away to take a nap and come back to join in the festivities. I hung on until 11, too soon after Professor Park and Ahnsook came, when I had to excuse myself and go to bed. I think they continued until midnight when everyone left and/or went to bed. Good times with good people.
Small Wide World 