My Nemisis

Somehow, likely in a drunken state, Kristin or I managed to break her camera.  Still seemed like it worked, but it made weird noises when you turned the power on, and when took pictures.  Typically, I wouldn't care about noises, and would make lame excuses for them to avoid seeking help.  In this case we needed help because all the pictures you took also happened to come out blurry.  After tracking down a service center, we learned that the camera's lense was broken and would need to be repaired.  $95 for a new lense.  Not very exciting.  After a couple days, it was repaired, and we picked it up.  This is where the story gets a little more exciting. Not much though, so don't get your hopes up too high.

On our walk home, we decided to pick up some vegetables from the market.  We grab some tomatoes and some mushrooms and start walking home when Kristin comes up with a great idea.  Get a picture of the old battle axe that hand picked the rotten plums for me.  Great idea!  We decide that I'll take the picture of Kristin standing near the woman's vegetable stand, and I'll snap her pic while she's not expecting it.  As I set up, the old woman starts moving around all over the place. I quickly snap a pic but only get a bad side profile as she walks inside with a customer and doesn't reappear.  

Could this just be a coincidence that she went inside as I was taking a picture?  Did she even notice me taking the picture? If so, is she just one of those people that doesn't want their picture taken? Maybe, just maybe, she noticed it was me and feared for her life.  I doubt this though, I'm sporting a snazzy short hair cut these days and the day she ripped me off, I had my trademark max volume poofy style.  Here's the picture I did get though.  It's not great, but don't worry, I will get a better one.

......This isn't her.  I actually wrote this blog a few months ago after I had taken the photo. However, I was playing with the settings on the camera one day, and managed to delete the photo before I could upload it and share it with the world.  I comtemplated staging another photo op, and get the same picture that I described above, but I thought it wouldn't be a genuine.  I typed the blog up at school and was planning on adding the photo once I got home, but I couldn't because it no longer existed.  I saved the blog, waiting another day to finally release it to the public.  So, today is the day.  I know it's not the side profile pic that you were hoping for but don't fret. Here's a recent photo of her, and she looks as evil as ever.

I brought up the whole rotten plum situations to a group of Korean workers that I "voluntarily talk English" with and they were stunned.  They figured she was just a grumpy old bitch who thought she could rip off a foreigner with ease. They decided to write me a little note that I could hand deliver to the old bitty the next time she tried to lure me over to get some fresh produce.  It was written in Korean, but it translated nicely to this:

"Old woman, a while ago, you sold me 5 plums for 5000 won.  All 5 plums were rotten, and I'm pissed.  I will never buy anything from you again, don't try and get me to buy anything from you again.  Leave me alone.  I have many Korean friends!"

I'm not sure why it was important to state that I have many Korean friends. Maybe having many friends is intimidating in this culture.  Perhaps she'll think I'm affiliated with some Korean mobsters, and thats the kind of friends I have lots of.  Maybe I should have just asked. 

I have yet to deliver this note.  No, not because I'm a pussy.  I'm waiting for the perfect moment.  I don't think she remembers that I'm the one she ripped off. I do have a plan though....One day, I'll be looking around the market for some fruits or veggies, and she'll see me and think she's got another great opportunity to rip a foreigner off.  But not this day because it's payback time.  I plan on looking interested in her produce, ask about some prices, look like I'm about to pull out some cash, then BAM, read this note bitch. I ain't buying nothing from you!......Never ever!