Running Errands: Adorable, Awesome, and Awkward

We had 4 errands to run in town this morning.  Easy peasy, right?  But there are always surprises, which makes errands = adventure (or exhaustion, but it's better to stay positive).

To whit: David, Elisabeth and I (they’re only 3 weeks into their 10-week winter break) planned to do 4 errands:

1) Meet an ex-pat to pass along spices from a leaving-Korea ex-pat
2) Get 2 pictures printed.
3) Buy a headset for Nick.
4) Get the van’s broken taillight fixed.

Here is how things actually went:
(1) Spice recipient Kate sort of forgot our meet-up plan so I texted her from our designated meeting spot outside the Fuji film/photo shop.  Moments later, she ran down the street in pink leopard fleece pajamas and plastic shower shoes. Passersby = shocked, but I'd color that adorable.

(2) As the Fuji film/photo studio guy turned on his computer and printer (this is an inexplicable process no matter what time of day I show up), David and I browsed the various displays with some amusement (see photo).  As we did so, a middle-aged man came in, walked directly to the back mirror while chattering aloud to our film guy, and vigorously plucked hairs from around his ears. Eww. Not adorable.

This photo was prominently displayed at the Fuji shop.

And displaying it in multiple sizes allowed the customer
to choose which size he/she wanted to have.
Photo size, that is.

(3) Then to Hi-Mart, our local electronics store.  It appeared open, but as I touched the non-responsive door-opener button, Elisabeth noticed that the employees were having a meeting.  Ok, no big deal, so we headed back to the van.  A be-suited salesman rushed out, however, and invited us inside the store. Upon entering we noted that his eight be-suited coworkers and their boss man abruptly paused their meeting, sitting silently now in the middle of the store, just waiting.  They did not stare at us (that would be rude), but we detected giggling at our poor salesguy’s attempts at English as we browsed the headsets, trailed him past the centrally-seated group to the cash register, and then trailed back again as he escorted us to the door.   Painfully awkward -- for all 13 of us.  I wonder if they laughed as hard as we did.

(4) Finally, to “our” mechanic shop.  When Spiffy Car Guy came out, I pointed to our van’s smashed taillight (the driver at fault for backing into a cement wall? he shall remain nameless).  Car Guy began a speedy Korean monologue, eschewing non-verbal niceties like eye contact to see if we understood anything. FinallyThus, resorting to higher-than-average levels of gesturing and Korean questions (thank you, Elisabeth), we indicated that we’d walk to a nearby coffee shop and he could text me when he was done (no appointment needed!).

Spiffy Speedmate Car Guy
ordering our new tail-light.

About 30 minutes later, Car Guy suddenly appeared at our café table. Oh, um, ok. He monologued for about 2 weeks, and as he windily continued I just got up to ask the coffee shop woman (who had tried out her English when we ordered) if she would please translate for me.  She gamely agreed and we returned to the still-talking Car Guy (sorry kids).  That conversation went something like this:

He: "blah blah blah."

She (to me): “Um, car part?  Um…new? Awb-saw-yo?” and she crossed her wrists in front of her face.

Me: “Oh...ok. Lamp? He doesn't have new one?” And I crossed my forearms, repeating "awb-saw-yo."

She (relieved): “Yes!”

He: “blah blah blah.” Note that he didn't stop talking during the translation - he just kept right on going.

She (after I gestured for a mid-stream report): “Um, his car? Same part? One part more today afternoon.  Another part Friday.”

Me: “Ok.... So... he can fix our car this afternoon?  And another part comes on Friday?”

She: “Yes!"

He: “Blah blah blah.”

She: “You car can drive? Come today afternoon?

Me: “Oh! We can drive our van now?”  She nodded then ran away to hide behind the counter, a mixture of terror and relief and pride on her face. After telling Car Guy we'd be along shortly (thank you, David), he exited Cafe Ancy (yeah, we don't understand the English name either).

We finished our yummy non-coffee drinks and returned to the SpeedMate car shop (no clue about that name, either).  Car Guy had apparently done an eye transplant (not literally - that's gross): he replaced our shattered taillight with one from his own van so we could drive home and come back later once the new taillight came in.  Wow – that is the most awesome and yet rudely awkward customer service I’ve ever had.

Eye transplant from his van to ours.

This week maybe we'll go really big and try to get our laptops or bikes fixed and maybe even my wedding ring resized.  Then again, maybe I'll stay home and store up more energy before setting out onto the high seas of errand adventures.