Who doesn't forget those grand American barber shop experiences? The barbers with bowling shirts that are meant to be fashionable, the guys with one syllable names like; Mitch, Doug, and Nick(pun intended,) the incessant A/C blowing, and the omnipresence of aftershave aroma burning your nostrils. The alarming swiftness which those guys are able to finish cutting your hair with dangerously sharp scissors. Moreover, their ability to shape your hair with sharp things while watching sports on their five inch television located on the opposite side of the barber shop. I always admired their ability to squint at the television screen criticising Chris Mullin's dribbling abilities, or praising Mike Tyson's jabs while successfully cutting my hair. How could impressions like these ever escape anyone? At least I still remember these things. In addition, I remember in greater detail the day I went into a barber shop and came out with my bike stolen.
It was a warm, Saturday evening in July. I was 12, and I rode my white Skyway bmx style bike the two blocks to Castro Valley's Village Barber Shop to get the hair chopped. It was the normal monthly routine. I even had a nice lock for the bike that was shaped like a hook, which if it was used correctly the bike became impenetrable. Despite this, my laziness would be the determining factor in this instance. Since I would be sitting in a chair next to a widow, I had decided that I could leave the bike unlocked and unattended. So there I was watching baseball in the barber chair. This time it was Mike who was quickly snipping away, while commenting on the A's chances for the post season with that new Mark McGuire kid. We watched an inning or so, then I paid my ten bucks, took the free gum and opened the door to an empty, bike less sidewalk. I panicked a little, but didn't realize it was gone immediately. I popped back inside the barber shop and told the guys inside if they saw anyone with a bike. The customers inside said 'we saw nothin!' To make this long story short, the bike was stolen. It was stolen quickly and easily. The lesson here is that in small Californian towns children will steal other children's bikes more frequently than petty stoners in Amsterdam will steal a backpacker's bike.
More over, I think children stole a lot of things from me. I said goodbye to an innumerable amount of items when I was young. For example an expensive baseball jacket went missing a mere few days after I had received it as a birthday present. Children in America seem to have a itchy hand for other children's belongings, and if you leave something there for the taking, it will be nicked. Additionally, This mentality of snatching left behind items seems to cross over the age barrier in America too. It's only common sense that if you are an adult to keep an eye on your stuff.
My reason for writing this is that recently I've been thinking about these situations, because I've been noticing that I tend to be a bit absent minded, therefore I make it easier for things to go missing. Case in point, last week I brought my lab top computer to a soccer match. After the matched we adjourned to our traditional post match meeting spot in Shidae; the Mini-Stop 'patio'. It wasn't until a beer and an ice-cream later that I realized that my personal belongings seemed lighter than usual. My initial panic gave me the chills like I had a serious illness. After informing the soccer players of my recent misfortune, many of them shared my worries, although after a brief moment, one of the more seasoned individuals living in Korea stated that; this was Korea, and no one would take it.
It immediately felt reassuring. I've lived here for close to two years now, and I can actually attest to this notion that Koreans don't really steal so much is completely valid. I am not imparting that Koreans will never nick anything, but I can tell you from experience, that I feel at the least a hundred times more confident being an absent minded fool here in South Korea than I do in California. Anyway, I jumped in a taxi and went back to the stadium where another game was going on. I jogged straight to the sidelines and there on the bench in between several excited Korean players looking at me was my lab top. They knew immediately, which was easy to tell from their shouts of 'notebook, notebook, here here!' I didn't even have to go through the usual 'what color is it?' interrogation that we are accustomed to in America. I felt relieved to have something back so easily.
This isn't the first time I had forgotten something important behind in Korea only to have it exist in the same place when I returned either. I managed the same feat with a digital camera in a Norebong (karaoke room). Although some teenagers took the liberty of taking a few snapshots with it, they still left it there for their owner to collect it unscratched. I've also done the same with keys, mp3 players, shiny coffee mugs, and cell phones. In all of these instances the objects I had absently left behind have all been there collecting dust in the same location where I had left them. This wouldn't happen in America. If you disagree with me, go ahead; leave your bike in front of the barber's.
Ps...just this week alone my taekwondo teacher has left his keys in the ignition to his scotter downstairs in front of our dojon, only to come back an hour later both times to not only see his scotter there untouched, but also his keys safely in the ignition!!
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