You may not read this, but I felt compelled to write anyway just to get this off my chest. I hesitated; really, I did, because I thought about the repercussions of how this letter may be received and how it may result in a walking stick to the back of my head, an elbow to the side, or perhaps a good old fashioned tongue lashing complete with waving arms and dramatic shouts. Still, I decided to forge ahead because, basically, someone has to say something.
So here goes, ajummas, let me calmly and clearly state what everyone in the country is thinking: you need to chill.
On the subway platform while waiting for the train you barge ahead of everyone in your way to stand so close to the edge that I’m surprised the oncoming train doesn’t clip your nose. On the sidewalk you plow through the crowds leaning into the people with elbows out to the side like deadly weapons and a grim determination set on your face as if daring anyone to even think of not getting out of your way. And on the flight to Thailand you hopped out of your seat as soon as that Seatbelt On sign blinked off so you could stretch out in the aisle to sleep. I know the seats are uncomfortable, but I bet that pregnant lady in 5A would’ve liked to get to the bathroom without navigating an obstacle course. And when the plane was delayed on the return flight and you all plopped right down smack in the middle of the airport lounge and whipped out your homemade food to eat, well, I’m confident you saved a bundle, but those foul smelling, though I’m sure tasty, Korean delicacies just about caused a Terror alert.
And don’t get me started on the 7-11 when you body checked my friend Rebecca to get in the door, followed by a shove to get a coke despite the fact she was standing at the cooler before you, and then the mad dash to reach the register to pay before her. Seriously, all of that for a coke?
Now I’m not talking about all ajummas. That would be silly. I’m talking about the perm sporting ajummas clad in purple pants, flower print shirts and flats whose unflappable cold hard stare sweeps the crowd for the opening to barrel through full throttle. You scare me.
I get it. After putting up with making sixty cents to the dollar, patriarchal Confucianism, MIA husbands and putting everyone in your family first for so long that now with the kids finally married and out of the house and the husband is camped out on the sofa instead of at the soju bar that you’re practically bursting with a sense of IT’S MY TURN NOW that it just comes out in the wrong way.
Might I suggest a long vacation, a spa treatment, or stitch and bitch knitting club? Perhaps a pottery class can really let you exorcise those feelings by really manhandling that clay and pounding it into something beautiful? I hear yoga is soothing as well as therapeutic. I’m just concerned. I don’t want to flip on the channel and see a When Ajummas attack clip on the evening news. So, for your own sake and ours, take a minute to breathe, relax, and chill. You might like it.
Casey, this is true, which makes me think its about time for an open letter to ajosshis.
it's not just the ladies that does it but the men too.
So eloquent, so funny, so true.
I'm late on this party.. but this is gold. Forget the vacation: I would suggest herding them together into the Ajumma Pro Football League.
Outback works for me, it's gotta work on Ajummas too!
HAH! EXCELLENT! My perception of elderly women has been forever altered. (I'm also no longer hesitant to lay the smack down and get down to business with these seniors. Maybe an early bird special at Outback would keep them at bay?)
MLM: I hear you!
Kelsey: Thanks!
Amanda: Oh, my!
I’d also like to request that they CLOSE THE DOOR when using the squatter in the subway.
This is really, really great.
It works for us! 🙂 Knitting is meditative and bitching is oh so fun…
lmao someone else is feeling it. i'm on the other feeling provoked.
Jen: I was hoping the soothing atmosphere of the stich and bitch would be like music to calm the “beast” so to speak. 🙂
ROFL
Flawless–thank you. Someone needed to say it.
Every so often, I’m reminded that I have elbows too. While in some cases people are harmless enough, they can and do tend to get in the way of things when certain types of people are pushing in / out / around yours truly.
Stitch and Bitchers haven’t done anything wrong. Why would you want to foist them on us? Maybe they can make their own club…