나는 마신다

I was reminded tonight of one of the many reasons why I looked towards Asia as a fascinating and inspiring place to inhabit. On my way home from work, calmy waiting for my bus to jaunt me back to my apartment, a ludicrously soused and fuddled middle-aged Korean businessman sauntered down the lane in a haze of his own making, looking idle and pleased. Abruptly, he encountered a group of sociable teens just finishing their oppressive daily academic routines. He stumbled over to them, and mumbled something incoherent to what he must have considered the alpha male. The alpha male smiled, and bowed slightly. The businessman was in luck. And he swayed there for a while, inept, absent-mindedly entertaining and conversing with his temporary chums. Then the students explained to him that their time was at an end and that they must depart back to their respective homes. He smiled at the wall, then patted the alpha male affectionately. The businessman was then solo. He looked around and gesticulated grandly (in his own unique way) at his reflection in the windowpane of an adjacent bakery. Realizing the window posed no immediate threat, he crudely stepped into the shop and swayed on his heals while pointing at empty shelves and smiling primitively.

I can remember similar situations at home, but where the encounter between different age or social groups became a clash of ego and bravado, ending in either macho insinuations and insults or else in a pathetic, drunked melee. Getting blasted after work in Korea usually leads to comical and warmly received attempts at menial communication or else minor physical collapse. The satisfaction of night after night witnessing girls under the aged of 10 walking home after 11pm in almost complete safety, is very reassuring that something is being done right here. That coupled with the fact that no student has time to fight or drink because education is a 15 hour daily marathon. I suppose there are ups as well as downs.