Mydadkeepssaying ‘ Pusan’butt hisc it yis ac t ual l yc al l ed‘ Busan’ , soeveryt imehemakes t hatmist akeIc al lhim ‘ Pad’inst eadof‘ Dad’ , . .
WeareinSout hKorea t hisweek.
Busan
. . . andhec al l sme‘ Dal l as’ inst eadof‘ Al ic e’ , andwebot hgiggl e.
Mymum frownsatus. Shehasc ousinshere.
Oneoft hem worksatabigt ec h c ompanyand,whenwearrivedatour hot el ,t herewasaboxofbrand-new c oolst uffwait ingforus:
smart phones andt abl et s.
Forme,t herewasan ew pl ayer.
Busanisful lofverybigt hings:
Wow!
A veryl ongbeac h
averybigshopping c ent re
averybigfish market
Iam goingt ovisitt heportbec auseont hist ripwearet rying somet hingnew:I’ m goingt oworkwit hmydadinsteadof st ayingbehindwit hmymum andherc ousins.
. . . andaginormous port .
Thatmorning,int hehot el ,mydad put sonhisgoodsuit .
Hedoesn’ tl ike suit sandhe espec ial l y disl ikesTIES,
Inc l uding t heoneI gavehim l ast Christ mas.
MydadandIaredrivenright t hrought heshipyard,
IputonmyCheongsam wit houtbeingt ol dt o,
despit et hatfac tt hatsinc eAunt ieXui Ligaveitt omeithasgotevent ight er andit c hiert hanbefore.
d
pastt hehuge hal f-buil tships,
d
pastt heinc redibl y t al lc ranes.
Wec l imbint oal it t l eboatandare t akenoutt oafl oat ingdoc k wheret heyarebuil ding. . .
. . . t heb iggestboatIhaveeverseen.
Thegiantroundst eelt anksal ongt het opdec kmakeitl ook l ikesomekindofweirdbubbl emac hinefort hebiggest soapbubbl ebirt hdaypart yinhistory.
Dadt al kst ot hebusinesspeopl eforages,butIdon’ tmind. Isitint hel it t l eboatandwat c ht hefreight ersmovingin andoutoft heharbour,t hel it t l epil ott ugsguidingt heirway.
Lat erwearet akent oagl assskysc raper int hec it ywhereDadbowspol it el yt o everyoneint heboardroom andt heybow pol it el yt ohim.
A womanI’ venevermetbeforegivesme sevengift swrappedinredandyel l ow paper.
Th eypresenteac hot h erwit ht h eir businessc ardsandexaminet h em c areful l y .
Iknow Ic an’ topent hem now bec auset hat ’ swhatMum t ol d measwewerel eavingt hismorning.
It akeoutmyne w pl ayerandturniton.