Erin Choi’s column “A Summer season Overseas” items collectively recollections from her pilgrimage again to Korea.
Korean warmth is the sort of warmth that makes you’re feeling such as you’re being steamed. Sweat doesn’t evaporate. All the pieces bogs down, gradual and soggy, and within the absence of air con, I used to be mainly debilitated. Summer season afternoons at my grandmother’s home, my time was principally spent organising camp in entrance of the tv, guarding the distant in order that it might keep on channel 7: 동물농장 (Animal Farm).
It was — and nonetheless is — a documentary-esque program operating options on animals and their eccentricities. As soon as, there was a narrative a few canine that might run errands for a greenback (his father had performed the identical). One other time, there was a narrative about an aged man and his wild boar, which he would trip by way of city on, regardless of the actual fact wild boars are infamous for charging people.
Final summer time, I met a well-known canine.
He was tethered by a metallic chain to a pole exterior the restaurant. We didn’t essentially imply to come back to a restaurant with a well-known canine. It occurred by coincidence. I feel he was joyful to see us, or possibly he was panting due to the warmth. He was an Alaskan Klee-Klai, bred for wintery tundras. His red-and-white fur got here out in tufts close to his legs. Circling round our ft, he padded off to drink water out of a scratched frying pan.
Contained in the restaurant, the proprietor performed a recording of the Animal Farm episode the canine is on. “Have a look at that! That’s my son on TV!”
It seems that the canine’s identify was Tattoo, after the proprietor’s earlier occupation as a tattoo artist. His particular backstory, if it counts as such, was that he was imagined to stud one other Klee Klai, his purported “spouse,” however ended up getting one other Labrador Retriever pregnant. The “spouse” claimed the litter as her personal. Out of confusion? Jealousy? Actually, who is aware of? Funnily, the TV present had anthropomorphized this whole incident right into a Ok-drama-esque story with start secrets and techniques and dishonest scandals and illegitimate youngsters. “Her youngsters are literally NOT her youngsters! A sacrifice to maintain the household collectively!”
We completed consuming, obtained the test and left. Earlier than the door chimed behind us, the restaurant proprietor advised us a few comfort retailer two shops away, and the model of treats Tattoo appreciated finest.
After all we adopted his options. How might we not?