Halfway Up a Little Mountain

02.04.07
10:11 pm

"Woodu likuh sumuh copy?"

We had stopped to admire the view of Daegu halfway up the little mountain through a clearing in the trees, when we heard a voice that spoke what was perhaps English. We turned.

"Woodu likuh sumuh copy?"

A man was leaning out of the window of a little booth. Gesturing to us. Coffee! Ah. Yes yes.

He invited us inside. We sat on folding chairs, bumping knees and stumbling through a conversation while the kettle boiled water on a portable stove. He showed us his book. A flimsy paperback full of English phrases. He spoke in memorized phrases, three or four words at a time, earnestly and nonsensically as we sipped our steaming instant coffee.

"Did you like it?" He asked before I had finished.
"The coffee?" I asked. He nodded.
"Yes it is quite good."
"Thank you."

When we took the last sip from our mugs, the sun was growing dim and we had not yet reached the peak (nor would we), so we gestured that we had to leave and spoke in single words.

"We. Are. Going. To. The. Top." We pointed out the window.

He nodded. "Please come again." He said, smiling as we left.

I think I will.