Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ya-ta Boy]

I learned one of life's little lessons today.

It was the last day of school, so I had to go in for the closing ceremony. Sat through that silliness, not listening anymore than anyone else, and finally left the building at 10:30. Pretty excited. Out earlier than expected and a book I had ordered had arrived. Half-way to the car I noticed, Hmmm�should have taken a whiz before heading downtown. Well, not a crisis situation, but did quickly take care of business at the bank and then the grocery store. No dilly dallying around. Into the car and the 5 minute drive home. Relief is in site.

Park the car and go into the building just in time to see the elevator head up�Damn. Starting to hop around the lobby a little trying to keep control of the bladder while watching the elevator go up and up and up�all the way to the 11th floor. Finally the elevator returns and I jump on, hit �5� and go up. Scurry down the outside balcony, digging my key out as I go. Put the key in the lock�and nothing. Damn it to hell! Why won�t the door open? Jiggle to the left. Jiggle to the right. Nothing. Kick a few times. Push on the door and see if maybe that will help. Nothing. Arg.

What to do? Go to the security guard and ask him to call the locksmith. Down the elevator and across the parking lot. No security guard. Arg. What now? Ah ha! Go to Lee�s Spicy Chicken Restaurant and Church and ask the grocery store man next door what to do. Scurry across the parking lot, into the grocery store and explain the problem. When he understands, he puts his hand on my shoulder, escorts me to the door and points to another building on the other side of the complex and says, �4th floor�.

OK. Off I go, across the parking lot, past the security guard office, between two buildings and across another parking lot and up the 4 flights of stairs. In the door of the office and explain to the woman at the desk what the problem is. When she understands, she gets on the phone and calls the guard building. No answer. (I could have told her that.) Calls someone else. They chat awhile, oblivious to my bladder emergency. She seems to think my hopping back and forth has to do with being cold. Finally she hangs up and tells the guy over in the corner repairing a computer to put down his tools and go fix my lock. He grabs the can of WD-40 and off we go. Down the stairs, across the complex, up the elevator, down the outside balcony to my door. He sprays the lock and then puts the key in. Jiggles it to the left. Nothing. Jiggles it to the right. Nothing. More WD-40. Tries the key again. Pushes on the door. Says some naughty words. Finally starts to explain that there is ice in the lock. When the weather warms up the ice will melt and I can get in my apartment. I consider throwing him off the balcony, but decide to explain that I can�t wait till March to get in my apartment. More jabbering at me in Korean. I explain I only have the one place to sleep. He finally agrees this is true. Asks to borrow my handuh phone. I don�t have one. We discuss this for a while. Then he says, �Come on� and we head back to his office. As we are passing the security guard office he notices someone is there, so we go in. I end up staying there listening to the security guard tell me about when he was a kid how he went to my high school. Time drags. I�m sitting with my legs tightly crossed. Finally the repair guy shows up again with a gas can for the barbecue and a flame thrower attachment.

Back we go. He torches my door. It doesn�t work. But he loses his temper and slams his shoulder into the door several times and then tries the key again. It worked! The door opens. He must have broken the ice before the metal was warm enough to melt it.

The moral: Keep your apt warm enough that ice doesn�t form in your lock.

(Second lesson: Don't look at the first page of your new novel that you plan to read on New Year's Day. I did. I ended up reading the whole book this afternoon. I'll have to read something else on Monday.)

[eamo]

Funny story.

Aren't there any restaurants or bars where you live?

[ajuma]

Funny story...but didn't the "Chicken and Church" place have a bathroom?? First things first!!

[captain kirk]

Funny story, man. Cheers!

[Delirium's Brother]

I wish more people wrote stories like this; it's better than all the complaining (and funnier too).

peace,

ps. Lee�s Spicy Chicken Restaurant and Church ... would be an interesting story in itself, I think.

[Pak Yu Man]

Huh. And you didn't whiz outside. I think you can do that herre

[Ya-ta Boy]

Glad you all enjoyed my misery.

My apt complex is about a mile outside town. The only 'business' area is the one building in the middle of the complex, with Lee's Spicey Chicken Restaurant and Church, which wasn't open yet--it was before 11 AM when the drama started.

(At one point I did look longingly at a tree. Had things gone on much longer, that would have been the solution. As a country boy, that kind of thing doesn't bother me, but it was COLD out and I do value the warmth and comfort, not to mention privacy, of my privates.)

[Delirium's Brother]

[tzechuk]

Your bladder must be really strong, ya-ta boy!!!!!

hahaha..

You should get yourself one of those key pad locks.. we have one and I don't even take any keys with me anymore.

[Ya-ta Boy]

[Ya-ta Boy]

[For DB, who is curious about Lee's Spicie Chicken Restaurant and Church]

Last August I posted a story about moving into this apartment and mentioned the Restaurant.

Here is an excerpt:

Fine sleeping weather.

In fact, it�s the best sleeping weather we�ve had since July and I was spending my second night in my new place. The stress of finding a new job is over; the heavy work of moving is over; I was ready for a good long night�s sleep. So what happens?

At 4:20 this morning, a rooster started crowing. (My complex is about a mile outside of town.) He did that yesterday morning, too, but I was able to go back to sleep. I almost got back to sleep this morning but at 5:10 the preacher in the church ( Lee�s Spicie Chicken Restaurant & Church) started singing, probably rehearsing for today�s services. He has a good voice and I like church music, but I prefer to hear it somewhat later in the day. I hope he takes requests. I�d like to tape a note to his church door asking for �Amazing Grace�. I heard it sung in Korean one cold winter night in Taejon. It sounded cool.

[Sorry, but that's all I have on Lee's Spicie Chicken Restaurant & Church.]