It is high time I revived my blog. I'm picking it up, brushing off the dust and am going to attempt a recap of the past weeks that I have neglected to record. I honestly have no excuse. While my life here has become more normalized with a routine and a solid group of friends there are still new and exciting experiences every day.
Like last Wednesday, when the Gas Man was finally able to check my meter. Most apartments have the gas meter outside so that it can be easily checked and a bill sent without any human interaction. Not all, but some, do not have it outside. Which means someone comes by once a month to check the number. Mine is on the inside. I remember being scared of the meter man when I was a kid, watching him through the window to make sure he wasn't up to anything funny. So the fact that in Korean the meter man has to come into my one room apartment freaks me out. Maybe it's my childhood fear translating to adulthood or maybe I just don't answer the door to people because I don't have a peep hole. Whatever the reason it has been almost five months of the gas company sending me bills amounting to only a dollar because I refuse to open the door to a stranger. It wasn't a problem for the first two months because, if you remember, I had no heat. However, now that the wiring is fixed and my apartment is heated the gas company is more adamant on getting into my place. Last Wednesday I was forced to face my fear, he was a middle aged Korean man. I'm walking home from work around 10 pm when this man walking out of my apartment building greets me as if he recognizes me. Being the only foreigner (waygook as we're better known) in my building I'm guessing he wasn't taking a gamble by singling me out as the mystery leasee in apartment 102. He punches in the 'secret code' to the apartment building then leads me right to my door. It was then that I realized who he was. This was the Gas Man. I run in, leaving him in the hall while I tidy up before I open the door to the guy. I'm sure this man has seen it all walking into random rooms unannounced for years, but still, I had to pick up just a bit. After letting him in I see the clothing rack is blocking the meter. It was laundry day. Since the drying rack is at an adjustable height right in front of the only window in my place I usually put the least embarrassing clothing towards the window leaving my, I'll just say it, underwear to dry safely from view of my neighbors. Since I had never worried about strangers coming in I never thought of hiding them from people inside my place. But now there they were, frilly things blocking the man's view of the 00083 on the far wall. This is why I have been avoiding his knocks. The Gas Man is a gentleman though, he says nothing (not that I could understand him in the first place). After explaining to me, with calendar in hand, that he will come every 7th of the month at about this time he goes on his way. Sadly, my bill will be a lot higher this month. Nonetheless, I hope to build a nice repore with the Gas Man. Next time I'll even ask him his name.
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