He's was a Bucket of Chicken... Tuesday, June 29

As if it wasn’t already a bit weird that my tutoring student Blue runs a multi-million dollar company that employs thousands in Korea but, as it turns out, he’s also employes a familiar face from my not-so-past past.

A little background note is needed here.

When I first moved to Korea I was living in Sangyoung-Dong, Cheonan. I now live in Shinbu-Dong, which is the downtown area of Cheonan and it is about 15 minutes away from my original stomping grounds.

Anyways, true to my fitness fanatic ways, I use to work out at this one particular gym in Sangyoung-Dong. I was buddy-buddy with all the trainers and was surely a familiar face among the regular evening gym bunnies, one of which was this particular guy whom I use to refer to as the Sangyoung Hulk. For a Korean guy he was quite large and muscular. I thought he was hot but he was rather arrogant – he knew he was hot. He thought he was all that plus a bucket of chicken and was always stirring up trouble both in and outside of the gym. I remember when my ex-fiance, Poo, visited me in Korea. Poo and I were walking down the street when along came the Sangyoung Hulk on a bicycle. “Look at me baby!” he yelled out to me. He was always doing stuff like this to me, teasing me, and he was notorious for saying that one-liner. He was always saying it. Whether it was after a hard last rep in the gym or him spotting me out and about in the street, he just couldn’t say that one-liner enough. The only comeback to it was teasing him about his poor English. “Is that all the English you got?” I use to blurt out.

I remember a particular situation involving him, my buddy Mook (a personal trainer at the club) and a very loud argument involving Mook telling him to never touch my face again or else. I should note here that he only touched my face because I had a dab of ink smeared on it. Regardless, it was an intense scene at the fitness club and the manager stepped in to stop them. I never saw the Sangyoung Hulk after that. The gym ended up closing and by the time it reopened I had moved to Shinbu-Dong and had joined a different gym.

Today I saw him!

I was going through the airport-like anal security check at Blue’s company when someone called out my name. I turned, smiled, didn’t recognize the guy at all, so I continued on my way to Blue’s office.

Tutoring lasted only a half an hour today on account that Blue had some prior engagement. When I left his office and started to make my way to the front security gate, again I spotted that same guy who had called out my name earlier on this evening. It was then that I clued into who he was.

He was the Sangyoung Hulk!

Although he didn’t look the same as I remember, he’s still a good-looking dude. He’s cut off his wild perma-wave hair, toned down on the bulkiness of his arms, and no longer sports his bad-boy smirk.

We chatted for a bit at the front gate where he works as security. “So does this mean I’ll be seeing you every day?” I sarcastically asked. “I want!” was his response.

The last I saw him was about four years ago and a lot has changed for me since then, of which my appearance has definitely changed. It was strange but it kind of reminded me of those Jenny Jone shows where the geek turns sheek and gets the perfect revenge against that old high school buddy by showing up and dropping jaws with their newly acquired beauty and happiness. I don’t think I was ever really pudgy but I know I have definitely toned up, leaned out and am happily in love -- two-sided love. I now sport my natural hair and have ditched the glasses and contacts for laser correction surgery.

He commented that I looked different and asked me for my number, so I noted to him then that I am now married. “Really?” he asked. “Oh come on… look at me baby!” was my response.

Hahaha… felt nice to turn the tables.

QUESTION OF THE DAY...
Were you the bully or the bullied?

QUOTE OF THE DAY...
Live well. It is the greatest revenge.
-- The Talmud