Alright...let's write something

I need to tell a story that's currently on my mind...something that happened ages ago that I want to remember.

Months ago, I went to a wedding for 경창 (Gyung Chang), a Korean friend of mine...a Korean friend that I had met through 운재 (Oon Jae), a friend from work. We've spent countless nights getting drunk off 소주, singing at the 노래방 and eating all kinds of foods: 생고기, 과메기, 족발, etc....so our relationship grew quite strong, as most relationships based off those things usually do.

Anyway...the night before the wedding was quite awesome. We spent it sitting around his office (he runs his own interior design place), quietly drinking beer, eating snacks, and listening to whatever songs in English they knew. It was amazing how I could contribute very little to the conversation in Korean, yet how welcome I was when I was there -- as there was only him, 2 of his best friends, and myself.

That was a fun night...but that's not why I'm writing here. I'm writing here because that night I stayed at Oon Jae's house, as it was quite close to the wedding hall and I wouldn't have to worry about getting a cab halfway across town really early in the morning. The morning after...waking up, getting myself ready and done up in my tux, Oon Jae and I are leaving to go to the place.

"Let's say goodbye to my grandmother," he says.

I've met his grandmother. She's extremely sweet. This tiny little lady with a sweet voice always welcomes me with the utmost enthusiasm even though she can't speak a word of English...and she always offers me food. The first time I was over at his house, she had asked Oon Jae "is he single?"

So, he peeks into her room and notices that she's sleeping. He calls her name a couple of times but she doesn't wake up. "Oh well," he says and we make our way for the door.

As we get to the door and get our shoes on, she comes out to say a quick hello and goodbye. Oon Jae, not excited by the standard hello and goodbye, says what he needs to say and starts opening the door...while I, doing my best in Korean, say the most polite hello and goodbye that I can before I make my way out.

As I'm walking out into the hallway, the little old woman makes her way back to her room mumbling some words that were undecipherable to me.

"Do you know what she said?" Oon Jae asks in the hallway.

"No, I couldn't hear her...she said it rather quietly."

"She said...'Well...at least I got to say goodbye.'"


-- Well...at least I thought it was important.