::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.
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
No comments:
Post a Comment