The best party of the summer
Filed under:personal,writing,Rob Andrews
Usually, when my Korean or Chinese friends hang out with my white friends, I take the opportunity to mess with them a bit. For example, when I went to Humpty's a couple of months ago and got an omlette served with a slice of pineapple. I told that Anson that in Canada that if you were served a slice of pineapple with your meal, you were supposed to use it to clean off your face, then afterwards you could eat it. I demonstated to a wide eyed and rapt Anson the technique of washing one's face with a pineapple and told him that next time he eats with us that he should do that. Luckily for me, the next time that we went out, Heather was with us and he dutyfully showed her how to wipe off his face with the pineapple. Heather punched me a couple of times for laughing so hard. Since Megan was coming to Jung's farewell party last night, I decided that it would be fun to flip the tables, and teach her non-sensical "Korean traditions" that didn't exist. I had planned on telling Megan it was the first time that she was going to come to a Korean party, that she was supposed to bring some smoked salmon. During the party, she would be instructed to get on her knees, place the salmon in her palms and make an offering to Jung, saying that it would be example of goodwill between Canadians and Koreans. Sadly, since the party was moved down form 8:00 to 7:00, I didn't have enough time to give her the head's up. On the way to the party, when I was picking up a going away gift for Jung, he came across a bunch of cards. Stephen pointed out to one, saying that we should give it to Megan and tell her to give it to him as a gift. I nixed the idea as being too cruel. The card was "Congratulations! We hear that you're expecting a baby!".
Stephen and I arrived 10 minutes late to the party, but didn't miss that much considering that half of the people were there. Jung was there, of course, since it was his going away party, as well as Joe, since it was his house. The cadre of Japanese girls that always hang out together were there too: Miwako (Vivianna's room mate with a bad tooth), Manami (cute girl, who Anson told me who was single, a little shy), Mari (extremely cute girl, fantastic dancer) and Takane (one of Anson's obsessions). Last, but not least was Natalia, a Columbian girl who was leaving on Sunday. Since not much was happening up to that point, Jung tossed me a deck of cards, and I performed a bunch of card tricks for the girls for a while. The hardest part was trying to explain to the girls what they had to do.
"You can choose, the third card if you want," I'd tell them.
"I choose three cards?"
"No, not three cards, one card, but you can choose the third card, if you want, or the fourth one, or the fifth one"
"Can I choose 8 cards."
"No. Just one."
This went on for about 20 minutes. None of us were drunk by that time.
The party eventually warmed up once more people arrived. I spent most of my evening sandwiched between Mari and Jung-woon. I wanted to chat with Jung-woon for most of the evening since I had been told by Jung that she had wanted to go out for a beer with me. When comfronted, she agreed that she did, but the reason for doing so was for me to introduce her to more men that I knew. The topic changed to Korean women, and the guys and Jung-woon wanted to know who I thought was the best looking. I told them, honestly, that I liked Jung-woon and Narae the most. Jung-woon spent the rest of the evening lamenting the fact that she wasn't married, and kept on talking about how fat her thighs were. I didn't think that she had anything to complain about.
Megan came about two hours later than planned. She announced to all of us that she had forgotten her keys in her truck and apoligized for being late. I introduced her to litterally everyone at the party, which boggled her.
"You know that I'm gonna forget these names, right?" I shrugged, and continued to re-introduce her to everyone until she knew a couple names. She spent the first bit alone, not chatting with anyone while I was hanging with the Koreans. Not wanting her to feel alone, I got her talking with Manami. I busted on her for a while, calling her names in Chinese and in Japanese. Manami caught on, told Megan what I was saying and I got punched a couple of times for it. Despite that, she said that she had a good time and left early to spent time with her mom. For the rest of the evening, I had to explain to everyone that she wasn't my girlfriend, and just a friend. Not that many people caught on.
I spent a fair bit of the evening chatting with Natalia. Federico introduced me to her at his going away party, but we really didn't chat that much until then. At the time, Federico mentioned that she was his kind of girl. Smart, nice and kind. She blushed when I told her this, and agreed too that Federico was an outstanding guy.
"He called me all the way from Columbia to wish me a happy birthday. I will never forget that." I found out that she and Federico live near the capital city, Bagota, and made fun of the way he dances.
"I was under the impression that's how men danced in Columbia," I told her.
"Oh no no. It's aweful. It works for him, but he moves like a snake."
"That's weird. He always reminded me like a cat. Him moving like that and his chesire smile."
We danced for a bit, and I tried my hardest to capture Federico's moves. My gaucky gyrations were nothing close to his moves.
Around 1 or so, the party was winding down. Since Natalia was the only Columbian girl there, I thought that it was my duty as a man to walk her home, so that she wouldn't go alone. We spent most of our walk home chatting about her life, and occationally bursting into song. I'd sing the English version of Evita and she'd sing in Spanish. When passersby made fun of us, she swore at them in Spanish.
"Puta!" That's motherfucker, or whore, in English.
"You know what's weird," she asked me.
"What?"
"We've only known each other for four hours, and I feel like I've known you for days."
"Funny how that works, eh?"
"You know how you meet someone and make a connection? I feel that way with you."
I put my arm around her waist and we looked at the clear night sky. A meteor shot overhead. I pointed to it.
"In Canada, if you see a shooting star, you have to make a wish."
She broke down, her body heaved with sobs.
"I wish that I could stay here for longer." I hugged her and massaged her back. I whispered in her ear that it was all okay, that I'd miss her too. I held her hand, the bare tips of our fingers touching, until the tears wouldn't come anymore. I went to Tim Hortins afterwards and asked for some napkins. She wouldn't let me look at her when she blowed her nose.
I dropped her off at her house later that evening, around 2:30 in the morning. I asked her if she wanted to go on a date the next day, telling her that I'd make her last day in town special. She agreed and we hugged again. It was a good Friday the 13th for me.
The next day, I took her to Fogg 'N' Sudds for supper and afterwards I took her to my old place in Taylor. We watched the sunset together over the Peace River and chatted about our futures. I told her that I'd love to visit Columbia one of these days, saying that I could pick up Columbia pretty fast and could hang out with her and Federico.
She blew the seeds off a dandylion and watched them drift to the river.
"I would love that very much."
We drove back, not saying anything to each other. We listened to Modest Mouse. I found the music apt.
"I love my friends, my habits, my family. They're so good to me." I sang along to the music and she looked outside, collecting the Canadian landscape for the last time. I dropped her off at her place and wished her well for the future, and gave her a going way gift. A card and a photo-album. She gave me a kiss.
"I'll see you in Columbia." I watched her walk to her house, and she waved to me. I waved back. I made my way home and she made her way to hers.
That's the last I saw of her.
Usually, when my Korean or Chinese friends hang out with my white friends, I take the opportunity to mess with them a bit. For example, when I went to Humpty's a couple of months ago and got an omlette served with a slice of pineapple. I told that Anson that in Canada that if you were served a slice of pineapple with your meal, you were supposed to use it to clean off your face, then afterwards you could eat it. I demonstated to a wide eyed and rapt Anson the technique of washing one's face with a pineapple and told him that next time he eats with us that he should do that. Luckily for me, the next time that we went out, Heather was with us and he dutyfully showed her how to wipe off his face with the pineapple. Heather punched me a couple of times for laughing so hard. Since Megan was coming to Jung's farewell party last night, I decided that it would be fun to flip the tables, and teach her non-sensical "Korean traditions" that didn't exist. I had planned on telling Megan it was the first time that she was going to come to a Korean party, that she was supposed to bring some smoked salmon. During the party, she would be instructed to get on her knees, place the salmon in her palms and make an offering to Jung, saying that it would be example of goodwill between Canadians and Koreans. Sadly, since the party was moved down form 8:00 to 7:00, I didn't have enough time to give her the head's up. On the way to the party, when I was picking up a going away gift for Jung, he came across a bunch of cards. Stephen pointed out to one, saying that we should give it to Megan and tell her to give it to him as a gift. I nixed the idea as being too cruel. The card was "Congratulations! We hear that you're expecting a baby!".
Stephen and I arrived 10 minutes late to the party, but didn't miss that much considering that half of the people were there. Jung was there, of course, since it was his going away party, as well as Joe, since it was his house. The cadre of Japanese girls that always hang out together were there too: Miwako (Vivianna's room mate with a bad tooth), Manami (cute girl, who Anson told me who was single, a little shy), Mari (extremely cute girl, fantastic dancer) and Takane (one of Anson's obsessions). Last, but not least was Natalia, a Columbian girl who was leaving on Sunday. Since not much was happening up to that point, Jung tossed me a deck of cards, and I performed a bunch of card tricks for the girls for a while. The hardest part was trying to explain to the girls what they had to do.
"You can choose, the third card if you want," I'd tell them.
"I choose three cards?"
"No, not three cards, one card, but you can choose the third card, if you want, or the fourth one, or the fifth one"
"Can I choose 8 cards."
"No. Just one."
This went on for about 20 minutes. None of us were drunk by that time.
The party eventually warmed up once more people arrived. I spent most of my evening sandwiched between Mari and Jung-woon. I wanted to chat with Jung-woon for most of the evening since I had been told by Jung that she had wanted to go out for a beer with me. When comfronted, she agreed that she did, but the reason for doing so was for me to introduce her to more men that I knew. The topic changed to Korean women, and the guys and Jung-woon wanted to know who I thought was the best looking. I told them, honestly, that I liked Jung-woon and Narae the most. Jung-woon spent the rest of the evening lamenting the fact that she wasn't married, and kept on talking about how fat her thighs were. I didn't think that she had anything to complain about.
Megan came about two hours later than planned. She announced to all of us that she had forgotten her keys in her truck and apoligized for being late. I introduced her to litterally everyone at the party, which boggled her.
"You know that I'm gonna forget these names, right?" I shrugged, and continued to re-introduce her to everyone until she knew a couple names. She spent the first bit alone, not chatting with anyone while I was hanging with the Koreans. Not wanting her to feel alone, I got her talking with Manami. I busted on her for a while, calling her names in Chinese and in Japanese. Manami caught on, told Megan what I was saying and I got punched a couple of times for it. Despite that, she said that she had a good time and left early to spent time with her mom. For the rest of the evening, I had to explain to everyone that she wasn't my girlfriend, and just a friend. Not that many people caught on.
I spent a fair bit of the evening chatting with Natalia. Federico introduced me to her at his going away party, but we really didn't chat that much until then. At the time, Federico mentioned that she was his kind of girl. Smart, nice and kind. She blushed when I told her this, and agreed too that Federico was an outstanding guy.
"He called me all the way from Columbia to wish me a happy birthday. I will never forget that." I found out that she and Federico live near the capital city, Bagota, and made fun of the way he dances.
"I was under the impression that's how men danced in Columbia," I told her.
"Oh no no. It's aweful. It works for him, but he moves like a snake."
"That's weird. He always reminded me like a cat. Him moving like that and his chesire smile."
We danced for a bit, and I tried my hardest to capture Federico's moves. My gaucky gyrations were nothing close to his moves.
Around 1 or so, the party was winding down. Since Natalia was the only Columbian girl there, I thought that it was my duty as a man to walk her home, so that she wouldn't go alone. We spent most of our walk home chatting about her life, and occationally bursting into song. I'd sing the English version of Evita and she'd sing in Spanish. When passersby made fun of us, she swore at them in Spanish.
"Puta!" That's motherfucker, or whore, in English.
"You know what's weird," she asked me.
"What?"
"We've only known each other for four hours, and I feel like I've known you for days."
"Funny how that works, eh?"
"You know how you meet someone and make a connection? I feel that way with you."
I put my arm around her waist and we looked at the clear night sky. A meteor shot overhead. I pointed to it.
"In Canada, if you see a shooting star, you have to make a wish."
She broke down, her body heaved with sobs.
"I wish that I could stay here for longer." I hugged her and massaged her back. I whispered in her ear that it was all okay, that I'd miss her too. I held her hand, the bare tips of our fingers touching, until the tears wouldn't come anymore. I went to Tim Hortins afterwards and asked for some napkins. She wouldn't let me look at her when she blowed her nose.
I dropped her off at her house later that evening, around 2:30 in the morning. I asked her if she wanted to go on a date the next day, telling her that I'd make her last day in town special. She agreed and we hugged again. It was a good Friday the 13th for me.
The next day, I took her to Fogg 'N' Sudds for supper and afterwards I took her to my old place in Taylor. We watched the sunset together over the Peace River and chatted about our futures. I told her that I'd love to visit Columbia one of these days, saying that I could pick up Columbia pretty fast and could hang out with her and Federico.
She blew the seeds off a dandylion and watched them drift to the river.
"I would love that very much."
We drove back, not saying anything to each other. We listened to Modest Mouse. I found the music apt.
"I love my friends, my habits, my family. They're so good to me." I sang along to the music and she looked outside, collecting the Canadian landscape for the last time. I dropped her off at her place and wished her well for the future, and gave her a going way gift. A card and a photo-album. She gave me a kiss.
"I'll see you in Columbia." I watched her walk to her house, and she waved to me. I waved back. I made my way home and she made her way to hers.
That's the last I saw of her.
posted by Rob at 10:42 p.m.
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