The Best Way to Remove a Band-Aid

August 1987

Over the next few weeks, Young-sook and I continued to see each other. But it was becoming more and more clear that she was losing interest.

One night after class I went down to a flower shop across the street from Spa Shopping and sent some flowers up to the Levi’s Corner for her. I asked the flower lady to write the card for me. I remember exactly what I asked her to write but it really was too pathetic for me to put down here. It worked. As soon as I walked back into KHI, I had a message from Young-sook. She wanted to meet.

We met at 쉼표 and ordered a couple OBs. Long story short…she told me she had a boyfriend. A Korean one. I didn’t believe her but I had no cards left to play. I asked her what she wanted me to do. She shrugged cutely and said: "그냥 가지 뭐."

Ouch.

Today she is likely a 40-something mother of a couple high-schoolers. She probably wears her hair like a helmet and putters around the house in 몸배 while her husband gets his drink on with his emotional mistress.