I met a man today that as of yesterday is now a former neighbour of mine. I've talked to him before, quite awhile ago, possibly a couple of years actually, back when his shop was in business. He had a clothing shop that sold skateboarder/street punk wear and though I am not into that kind of style I often visited his shop because the building design had caught my eye and he also sells some interesting nik-naks. From the outside, it looks like a space-aged, high ceiling, one floor shop but upon entering it you notice it smaller than it initially appears. He had divided the building and made an apartment for himself in half of it, equipping it with a second floor balcony and a beautiful walled-in backyard that has a picnic table, BBQ and a swing like that at my parent's house in Canada.
His store has been closed for a long time now and now Hulk's is located directed across the street from it. I didn't realize that he had been living in it all this time because we have never actually seen anyone coming or going from his building. We had just assumed it was yet another abandoned building like so many other buildings neighbouring Hulk's.
Yesterday while sipping on my morning coffee in my side window office, I watched him move. Piles upon piles of bagged belongs sat roadside, then he and two others loaded them up high onto a truck and then he left. He returned today and I saw him sitting on his front steps when I took my pups out for a bathroom break in the abandoned lot beside his building. That's when he stood up and started talking to me. He asked me how business was and how I liked living in the boxing club. At first I didn't even know he knew who I was. He thanked for occasionally scooting away the groups of public school kids that smoke in the abandoned lot beside his building, saying that the smell always stinks up his house. It was quite interesting talking to him but I felt bad this was the first time I had really talked to him as a neighbour. I thought he was long gone.
I told Snickers later about my talk with the young guy and noted I felt bad for him. To have invested so much into your business, have it fail and then hold on for so long only to then have to totally give it up. The young man had told me he had always hoped to make a come back so he sold everything to keep his building. But now he's wanting to get married and feels letting go of his wish for a comeback is the only way to move forward. He had asked me if I was afraid of my business failing and I told him no, "at least I can say I took my chances and did it. Not too many people can say that nor have the courage to do that."
Snickers and I jumped into Hulk's with both feet before really testing the water and I have no regrets. It is better to have tried with everything you have than to play it safe and not even try at all. After all, what is honestly the worst thing that can happen? I have to move back to Canada, start all over and live with my father?! Oh darn, what a shame that would be (me being sarcastic here, of course). I came to Korea with $400 in my pocket and a job contract, pretty much nothing if you ask me, and I made a life. I had a life before Korea and, if I ever leave it, I'll have a life after it too. My goal is to keep this fabulous life that I've made for myself going but you just never know where life is going to take you, ain't that the truth. I never expected to stay in Korea longer than my one year contract, now look at me -- 10 years, a husband, 3 pups, 2 scooters, and Korea's largest boxing club.
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