Let's get to know our Mis-Heroes

Pancake: Her name implies some sort of roundness... and softness. This would be in her cheeks. She'd hate you for bringing any sort mention to them, but in reality they keep her face youthful. Pockets of innocence as it were. Never an unkindness could cross those cheeks unless, of course, you were to mention them. Quiet until she had something to say and when she spoke, you listened. That's the way about her. Her softness was easy to see. A gentle spirit wafted off Pancake as pleasing as a bakery smells. This contrasted mightily with Pumpkin. Her face rested easy in a hardened scowl. Natural it was, but beyond that Pumpkin was nothing but mushy goo.



Pumpkin:  People only ever really consider pumpkins once a year. For pies. For cooking. For carving. Once a year, millions roam over rows and rows of pumpkins, reaped from the patch. Pick one up. Touch it. Feel it. Knock on it. Judge it based on its physical character. Discard it and forget it. Pumpkin was one of the overlooked, that is until the end, flaws clearly evident and not nearly the best in the batch, but there are some good qualities to consider. After spending some time inspecting Pumpkin, you'll see a friendly gleam that outshines the deep divots and caked dirt. You'll take this flawed squash and you can create something beautiful out of it. Buy this flawed squash and find something more.

Pumpkin had brought Pancake to Korea. Korea's magic burned brighter half way around the world. Pumpkin was instantly disillusioned and immediately voiced her acknowledgment of this. Pancake, fighting a lot of battles herself, kept quiet. Silently agreeing, but afraid that if two voices were cursing their decision, they would lose all resolve for their endeavors. And this time together, this experience would slip through their fingers. Fearing most that she would be back on a plane heading to Foggy Bottom, without a snail's clue of what to do. So she kept quiet while Pumpkin raged. Pancake's patience was never ending, so it seemed. Korea will test that. And everything else.

Korea was a stepping stone to living abroad. The rest remained veiled in darkness and uncertainty. But this was the fastest, most accepting way get out into the Great Wide Somewhere. Patience, Pumpkin didn't have. Children, she didn't like. Pancake had all the patience and that easy way with children. So she'd just have to come along and help see Pumpkin through this mess.


Pancake and Pumpkin had grown up together, in  the years that matter most. The years where you discover who you are on the inside and stop listening to the clatter on the outside. Your opinions are your own and not those of regurgitation. You become yourself. The young years are vital to this process, but they're "you" suppressed. To appear normal. To be accepted. Those help shape us to become us. It's because of this bond that the two tumbleweeds have very little need of talk and say more in silence than most do with words. Moods are sensed with eye blinks and aversions. Words are their weakness. But through it all they know they will always be able to reach out to each other. Spending more time away from each other has done little to reverse this. Pancake and Pumpkin will continue to
plod along come hell or high water, come love or isolation.

Views: Heather Kline
Words: Kate Lehman 

A Pancake and a Pumpkin walk into a bar...

::Pumpkin has found herself in Korea. These stories and the ones to follow are of her and her dear friend Pancake. The following are loosely based on actual events:: 

Episode One:

 

The morning weighed heavy on Pancake’s short shoulders. Trailing silently but quickly behind Pumpkin, too embarrassed to dare offer words of comfort and Pumpkin too angry to be receptive of any nonessential sounds. Secretly, Pumpkin had woken up at 6 (the desired departure time). She straight slept through three alarms. Going to bed at 4 promised a rough morning ahead and Pumpkin was too proud to admit that she was mostly upset with herself and too burdened with carrying the many “what-ifs.” Her sanity clung to the desperate need to get out of Suwon and that was suddenly in jeopardy. Already so many obstacles were                                                                                               cleared just to get here… and here…. 

   






                                                  Here was still in Suwon.

       

  


 5 hours passed and not one word was exchanged between Pumpkin and Pancake. Both were safely situated on the bus. Both were safely stuck in traffic one hour outside of Seoul, but on the bus for four hours.  The bus was getting tinier with each kilometer creeping by.

            6 hours pass. Pancake asked some silly questions, any questions that would ease this tension between the pair. Pumpkin simply grunted in response; she’s not ready. Pancake gives her another hour.   

      
 



7 hours pass. The traffic had finally broken and the building skyline had given way to rolling hills and quaint rice farms. Just behind this mountain lay their destination, Busan; Pumpkin just knew it. Except that Pumpkin didn’t know anything. And the seeming break in the foul cloud that clung to her was about to stitch right back up. Busan would elude them for another 4 hours. More than twice what it normally would take by bus. 

      
   

 Quick glances from Pancake judged Pumpkin’s clouds, looking for a weakness, a small opening for her to weasel through. She pulled out a small container of gently and lovingly prepared peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Trying to ignore her peace-offering advances, Pumpkin waved off the sandwiches and immediately regretted her decision and her stomach eventually abandoned her resolve. Engulfing the foreign treat, a little morsel from home, Pumpkin regained a little merriment herself. She had to smile, but only to herself. Only Pancake would miss a bus bound for vacation but have sandwiches prepared. Twice packed and thrice checked. Here they were: Pumpkin and Pancake in Korea. For better or worse, it was them alone against this country.  They were insignificant underdogs just hoping to survive. The horizon burned bright with possibilities, but also dim with distance. 

 

 


















Views: Heather Kline
Words and Notes: Kate Lehman