The past couple of days I've been passing the same flyer guy on the corner as I walk back and forth between the elementary and middle schools. For a few days he'd hold out the flyer to me, but I'd politely demur as I bowed to him in passing. (I bow a lot now, and I'm afraid when I go back to America I'm going to bow to everyone and they're going to look at me like I'm a freak.)
Yesterday he held the flyer out to me and said, "Bicycle." I again politely bowed but refused to take it. I know that Korean alphabet but that doesn't mean I know what the words mean. And I don't really need a bike.
Today as I was walking to the elementary school, he held out the flyer to me and said in very good English, "Are you going to take it today?"
I smiled and said, "Anyeyo." (no in Korean)
He smiled back and asked, "Don't you know the Korean alphabet?"
I said no again - I didn't want to go into details.
He asked, "Not yet?" I guess he'd assumed I'd been in Korea for a long time. I replied, "A little."
For some reason I find our exchange humorous. I'm intrigued by the increasing level of communication. Maybe tomorrow he'll tell me I have to take the flyer.
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