Pure Torment

1987 in Busan, South Korea

First week of November 1987
(After November 1, I didn't record anything from this eventful week in my journal for a few months. I'll do my best to get down here what happened during that time. Later I might also try to analyze it.)

Monday November 2
I started my November classes at the Institute and at SamChullyHo Bikes just as I had for the previous 6 months. Brian was not teaching at all because he had told Mr. Shin he was headed home and he had bought his ticket. As of Nov. 1st I had also reserved a seat on the same flight back as Brian. We were to depart Kimpo November 8 and fly direct to LA. Then continue on home from there. I didn't have a flight booked from LA onward yet however, and I had not paid for my ticket from Kimpo to LA. I also had not mentioned to Shin that I was planning to weasel out of our contract and bail like a thief in the night...

At some point in January 1988 I recorded in my journal that my "last week in Korea was pure torment. Convincing myself I must go. Playing, dancing, working..." It truly was a difficult week for me. I had guilt about what I was planning to do. Plus I didn't know what kind of trouble I could be in if I got caught. Since there was so much red tape involved in getting to Korea in the first place, I imagined all kinds of things going wrong. But for several reasons that I'll get into later, I couldn't (didn't? wouldn't?) see any other alternative. As late as October 28 I had every intention of telling Mr. Shin I was leaving.

Friday November 6
I woke up and went to the Institute to teach my morning classes as normal. But I told Mr. Shin I did not feel up to driving to Yangsan to teach the SamChullyHo executives. After all, I had not even packed a single thing yet...