About 3 weeks ago I found out that my grandfather had emergency surgery. He was in pretty critical condition and for about a week it was very serious. Unfortunately, because of the time difference, I read my family's email during 4th period at school--right before lunch. When Mr Song (my Taekwondo teacher) walked in to escort his regular friends (including me) to lunch, I didn't great him with my usually, "HELLO!" more of a "hello." He asked my co-teacher if I was sick or if the medicine was making me sleepy. I probably should have just said, "Yes, that's it." But I had been taken a little bit aback by the severity of Grandpa's condition and I leakily told my co-teachers about how Gpa was in a medicated coma. Well...it was more like, "My grandfather...err...dad's dad? Yes? Yes, he is very sick. He is in hospital. Surgery. Not good."
And my school was fantastic. My Vice Principal who wears a cross, told me on our walk to lunch that she would pray for my family. I had teachers I didn't even know knew how to speak English come up and tell me, "To be strong. Your grandfather get better." Mrs Itou, one of my older female teachers--who is perhaps one of my favorite teachers despite the fact that she only knows "Hello" "Beautiful" and "Bye"--learned a fourth word: "Grandfather." For the rest of the week she would come up to me and say, "Grandfather?" The Korean Grapevine went into action and by the end of lunch, Mrs Kim came down and sat down to talk to me. She is so super busy, but she took a good 20 minutes sharing stories. (Her mother was sick when she went to London after college, but the mother didn't tell Mrs Kim until she was abroad.)
Anyway, on Fridays I go to my country school and then I wasn't expecting to hear from anyone until I went back into school. But Ms Kim is fantastic and she called me up around 10 am on Saturday morning asking if I wanted to go to lunch.
It was exactly what I needed. I got in the shower and was ready to go way too early, but I was excited to see Ms Kim--and I got a double surprise when I get in the car and she her children: Saekjin and Saekyoon. We head off to a little pizzeria.
I get another surprise when Saekjin takes off his coat:
Apparently, when Ms Kim told him that we were going to have lunch with Maggie, he ran back into his room and changed. Adorable boy.
It was a great lunch. I really love Ms Kim and her children are little dolls. I got to play big sister, which is always fun (AND I am a much better big sister now that I am older. I put behind the whole "squeeze the pressure points until you make your little brother cry" thing. Sorry about that, Charlie...)
Update: Just in case you are wondering, Grandpa is doing much better and is in recovery. Slowly and steadily he is getting better.
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