Thursday, May 2

A BASKIN ROBBINS SUMMER (Part VIII of ? Please start from Part I, below)

The next day, my aunt told me that I was to go back to Seoul, to my aunt (2nd eldest on my dad's side) and uncle, who was a pastor at a big church in Korea. A brief flash of anger came and went as I thought back to the experience I had the day before. If only I had waited one more day, I could have gone in a modern toilet and avoided the outhouse. Reason soon knocked that silly thought out of my head. There was no way I could have waited one more day.

I said my good-byes. I truly regretted leaving. Though my 2nd uncle and aunt were the quietest relatives I had ever visited, they were very good to me. I would miss my uncle in particular, though I could count all the words he said to me on my two hands. He took me sightseeing several times, which I’ll never forget.

On several occasions, (I don't know how they were chosen, because all the days were exactly the same at the farm) my uncle would rouse me from my sleep. No words were offered; we just packed, and rode the scooter into the mountains. We stopped in front of elegant, breathtaking waterfalls, which made the Niagara Falls seem brutish, and beautiful, mossy mountains, skirted by light, lacy clouds. We gazed and gazed. Sometimes observing the beauty before us, sometimes focusing on something else within. Those were hours passed between a man and a boy, quality time of just intense reflection. I had never had such times before, nor will I likely have them again.




yakob at 1:41 AM

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