Clean, White Snow

This morning opened its eyes to a world wrapped in clean, white snow. In my estimation, as long as it's going to be cold it may as well snow. So I can appreciate the whiteness, despite the weather. I'm told this is the biggest snow fall they've had in twenty-five years. It's melting off as the day grows warmer, so the streets now are nothing more than slushy mud. But I'm ok with that. The memory of what was keeps me from despising what is.

I think I can, without exaggeration, say that I have now experienced the ultimate public transportation squish. Often a bus or subway is quite empty, with plenty of seats for all. Just as frequently one must use his elbows and body weight in order to manuver. Even this, however, I have lately discovered to be but child's play. I was in the subway, a few evenings back, waiting for the train. The platform was uncomfortably crowded, but not uncommonly so for that time of night. The train pulled into sight, and slowly rolled to a stop in front of us. I was curious to see, through the windows, that it was already packed to capacity. The doors slid open, allowing a few dozen people to disembark. And then a mass of bodies surged forward. Quickly at first, then as space became a minimum, more slowly. The flow came to a stop just as I stepped from the platform to the train. Many people remained on the platform behind me. Two 'pushers' moved to the back, thrust their arms forward, and began shoving. The inevitable domino effect crushed me forward, as the stragglers were muscled onto the bloated train. I lost my footing and would have fallen, but there was nowhere to fall to. I slammed into the suit coat in front of me, and there I stayed, like a bug splatted on a pain of glass. He slammed into the person in front of him, and that made two bugs. The bouncers gave one more shove, the doors closed in on us, and all we splatted bugs held our breaths while the train, bursting at its seams, wobbled off to the next stop.

Some things are still difficult, but I think I'm beginning to find my groove here. The more I'm able communicate, the easier it is to cope. I'm still at the baby-talk level, but that doesn't really daunt me. And, while my effort certainly amuses my Korean friends, it also pleases them. Some day, I whisper to myself, some day...