The foreigner fitted the balloon onto the end of the pump as though it were nothing. The train ride was long and dull and so she meant to practice her skills as a balloonist until she arrived at her destination.

The Koreans on the train looked on at her in curiosity as she frowned at the pump and fumbled with it to get it to work. Finally, the hot pink balloon inflated into a long tube. The little Korean girl closest to the foreigner shrunk back in alarm, but the foreigner, coolly and aiming the balloon away from the girl, proceeded about the business of making it into a shape. She tied it off, wrapped it, and rewrapped it. With every squeak, the little Korean girl flinched, with every pop, she recoiled, until the balloon held for her as much fear as little Alfred and his little white rabbit.

Finally, the torture was over and, to her surprise, the foreigner turned and presented it to the girl. She declined it and the small pink dog went back into the bag with the rest of the balloons.

After a while, the little Korean girl realized that the balloon had stopped squeaking and in fact did not seem to burst at any moment. She reached out for it, and then put her hand back politely. The foreigner turned around again and proffered the little dog to her again. She smiled, embarrassed, and picked it up. She was delicate with it, still afraid it might burst, but now some of that fear had transformed and she turned the creature around preciously in her hands.

The little Korean girl got off a few stops later. The foreigner took her now vacant seat and smiled.

A few seats away, two Korean women sat next to one another. The one turned to the other and gesturing with her hands and began to tell the story that I have just told you. I imagine she began, "Did you see what just happened?"

is that what you're going to do on Christmas? And by the way... about your foot: OUCH

and in reply to your comment... how do you know the girl I was talking about?
» Zanzibar on 2010-12-19 03:19:01

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