PERFECT HAIRCUT
Yesterday, I got a haircut.
There's this Corean place I've mentioned before. A wife and husband own it. I walk in, they say "hi." The wife's smile stops just short of a pleasant laugh. She asks fondly about Sun Su and the baby. I sit in her barber chair and she starts cutting my hair.
I have never told her how I want it cut. Ever since day one here, I just sit and she starts cutting. It's perfect every time and it's become one of the few constants in my life right now.
I close my eyes, relax, and think about things....
Like how fast these past five weeks have gone by.
I meant to write. Really. There were a lot of things I meant to do with this time off. But at the end of it, it seems what I really did could be summed up by yet another scene from the movie Office Space. The one where Peter answers his own question of what he'd do if he had a million dollars:
Peter: "I'd relax, sit on my ass all day. I would do nothing."
That's pretty much what I've been doing all this time.
Things I didn't do which I regret:
- I didn't draw that picture of Glenda yet like I promised. But I will.
- I didn't draw anything.
- I didn't study my Corean language books. I seem to have lost my favorite book which has saddened me.
- I stopped going to the Corean church. The nihilist in me keeps saying, "You're moving and won't be seeing them anymore anyhow. What's the point?" I think my inner nihilist is really just lazy.
- Hardly went to the gym at all.
- I didn't write the comic book story that's been "in development" in my head for several years.
- Didn't hang out more with my cousins or my brother.
But I did do a few things I guess:
- Still took a shower almost every day.
- I got my remaining wisdom teeth taken out.
- I've still been running on the treadmill semi-regularly.
- I played a lot of the game City of Heroes online. My hero's origin is based upon Corean mythology, the Legend of Tangun. (Send an email if you play.)
- Celebrated Ooseung's baek-il or 100-Day Celebration. Sun Su's birthday. My mom's birthday. And Amy's birthday, today in fact. She loved the gifts I bought her (Hello Kitty backpack and foot care products).
- For work, I got a new pager. A palm pilot. Talked to the lawyer, accountant and had my final meeting with the head of the new hospital at St. Azrael. I start tomorrow.
- I read my first essay on "writing" - comic book stories (acts, sequences, scenes, "grail," polarity, etc.) and spent a few paralyzed days struggling through mental quicksand working on a plot outline.
- Got to see my brother in action while he was bartending. He's more entertaining than the band.
- Saw some movies:
- Troy (They changed the story but I liked the adaptation anyways. Some interesting fight sequences.)
- Deliverance (Now I know what people are always talking about with this movie reference.)
- Mean Girls (Very funny + cute girls. Much better than I expected.)
- Oldboy (Corean movie, immoral, violent, shocking, but still touching in that perfected Corean melodramatic way).
- Spygirl (Corean movie. Cute girls. One of only about four movies with "sympathetic" North Corean characters and the most ridiculous one by far.)
- Amy trimmed my eyebrows so I didn't look "out-of-control."
Still more changes ahead, starting tonight when I leave for Ann Arbor. By myself.
Amy and the kids are staying at our house until it gets sold. They'll probably visit in a week or so. I'm going to miss them a lot. Sun Su's clever shenanigans. Baby Ooseung's smiling stares. Amy's goofy dances, her softness, and her scent. Hugging them all throughout the day.
At the end of most nights, when Sun Su is fast asleep, I'll wish he was awake again. I regret that I didn't spend more time with him during the day when I ignored the chance.
The salon woman finishes cutting. I must have nearly fallen asleep sitting up. The haircut looks perfect. I tip and leave, not sure if I will be able to come back by the time it grows out again.
Or what else I will miss when Sun Su and Ooseung and Amy are living away and our new life begins.
Tomorrow, as sure as the hair on my head, we will find out.
Whole bunch of Sun Su,Ooseung, and Co. pictures here and here.
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