Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Peechburg?


Greetings!
A little vignette to tell you of this evening before I turn in for the night. Sometimes I think things of this nature can only happen in Korea. I am sure there are other examples but, really.

 Last night, three compadres and I were going about our task of picking up a piece of framed artwork, deciding what to make for dinner, and getting together to watch the Amazing Race, recently downloaded from itunes. At 6PM after a long day at school, this was indeed an epic quest.
Let's just gloss over the fact that it was getting a bit late. And perhaps we can gloss over the fact that I was ruthlessly bludgeoned in the head with glass door to the bakery which solicited sympathy from even Korean passersby Somehow we made it to the apartments with a giant canvas painting from Bali, three exhausted teachers, and some Cheesy Enchilada Hamburger Helper from the import store. (By the way I highly recommend that one, it was good!)
After our night of adventures in television, we all shuffled into the the elevator for the ride down to our separate buildings. A few floors into our decent, we met up with a kind looking gentleman, and a younger lady. They got in without looking too startled at finding an elevator full of four white women. The gentleman just kind of stared at us for a minute. We all bowed to him as is custom and then he turned and bowed to each one of us and grinned. (Oh did we have a character on our hands) He pointed to who we found out to be his daughter and he said Peechburg? Peechburg? and we looked at his daughter when he said she is English. I'm sorry that was the most Korean looking English person I have ever seen and she kind of rolled her eyes at her father and turned to us and that is when I noticed she was wearing a Pittsburgh Steelers shirt. One of my compadres is originally from Pittsburgh area and exclaimed "Oh, I am from Pittsburgh." Then the gentleman laughed a cackly laugh of delight. Peechburg=Pittsburgh and we understood. He clasped his hands together and said PEECHBURG! Fooball? and then launched into a whole bunch of Korean that I just nodded, said neh (which is yes here), and smiled. Mind you this all happened in a 10 floor ride down an elevator. Come to find out that my friend from the Pittsburgh area lives in the same building as this kind gentleman and his daughter and son in law studied at Harvard and he is an avid Steelers fan. As he cackled on his way with his daughter to take out his recycling, I just had to shake my head and smile.   Every once in awhile you meet some really nice an fun people. And a proud parent is always a proud parent, no doubt about that one. I can only hope some day I get to see a Steelers game with him around. Now wouldn't that be entertaining?

2 comments:

  1. Hilarious!! I will never see the word Pittsburgh the same again. :o)

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  2. You just can't make that kind of thing up.

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