Public Transit and Wet Socks

It was Friday night and I had arranged to meet a friend for supper, the only problem was that it was raining. This wasn't a major problem, but it meant that I would not be taking Annabelle but rather relying on public transit. Normally this would also not be an issue as the public transit in Korea is fantastic but this night was an exception.

I made it to the bus stop five minutes before the bottom of the hour because, as I knew, the bus, trusty 120, came every thirty minutes. The time flew by keeping myself busy with my cell phone as I have been taught by watching the people of Korea. But unlike my neighbours, I did not use my phone to catch up on the latest TV show but rather to reply to texts that I had neglected all day.

Time flew by and before I knew it I was looking for a cab just incase the bus did not show, unfortunately cabs are as abundant in my neighbourhood, as food in North Korea. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/8720870.stm) Finally the trusty 120 revealed itself ten minutes after it should normally have but as it neared, it seemed to be, yes... it turned the block before it got to where I was standing.

I had noticed upon coming to wait for the bus that the normal bus station sign was no longer in place but I due to the many changes going on in the area I thought nothing of it, until now. They had just finished building a new bridge(not the one in front of my school) and opened a new road connecting us to the "metropolitan" Su-wol. It appeared that this had effected the bus route.

No matter, if I was fast enough, I could catch it coming out the other side. It was off to the water filled, puddle riddled races. While I did get quite wet, I did not arrive in time to catch the bus. I did happen make it just as another bus was pulling up so I decided to take it to the terminal. I sat in the back to get a view of the what came up behind and who should appear but the ever trusty 120. All I would have to do is hop off at the terminal and stride over to my bus.

Upon arriving at the terminal the driver decided not to open the door until he had made sure that I would miss the trusty 120, still I ran. I managed to catch the bus at the next stop after two blocks of frantic umbrella dodging. I tell you, it should be an Olympic sport(lets make the decathlon a hendecathlon), so that I can get the gold.

The point is that I caught the bus. Turns out that I was only 3 minutes late for my appointment, certainly mildly moist, but almost on time. Regardless, we had a fantastic time over an average dinner and called it a night, or so I thought.

I once again opted to take the bus, after all it was the most cost efficient, earth friendly option available to get me home. I had never taken the bus home from this location but, I thought, how hard could it be. Just catch the trusty 120 and I would be home faster than I can bake a cake.

After a short 6 minute wait I was on the trusty 120 headed for home, except that we were headed in the wrong direction. No worries, I comforted, you are just paranoid because you feel insecure with out Annabelle, as if you went to school in your underwear, as if you went hiking and left your arm in a canyon, as if you left your heart in San Francisco. If only I would have taken Annabelle, she would take care of me.

My comforting words did little to comfort as we were still headed in the wrong direction and by now I was the only one on the bus. Finally the driver stopped as if to park, but not as if, actually to park. He shut of the bus, with it went the lights and my hope to make it home faster than I can bake a cake.

Thankfully my Korean is almost fluent, so I went to ask the driver what the deal was, and found out that apparently my Korean isn't nearly as fluent as I imagined it to be. I did manage to get that, if I didn't feel like walking home from who knows where, I would be there for another 30 minutes.

At first this distressed me a little, but as I came to my senses I realized that this was a perfect opportunity for some time to think and reflect as I had literally no distractions and even less excuses. I used the time to pray for friends and family back home, think about life and all the blessings that I have received over my time in Korea.

When you think about it thirty minutes isn't a very long time for one of those things let alone all three and so before I knew it we were, as my main man Willie would say, "On the Road Again." The trusty 120 dropped me off just outside my house, I put on clean, dry socks and climbed under the covers for my nightly nap.