Night guest

I heard the faint sound of bells in the distance. The sound was getting louder and was awaking me up slowly from unconsciousness. It was 1:00 am in the morning.

My husband is screaming that our younger son who is supposed to be in Japan is here without any prior notice. I break into tears as soon as I see his skinny self step into the apartment. “What brings you home?” “I just want to come home to see you.”

How could he take after me? When I was studying overseas long time ago, I looked out the window and suddenly I missed my mother. I went to Korea without any notice. I pushed the door that my father unlocks every morning when he goes to jogging and I crept into the house. My mom glanced at me slyly and continues to work on what she has been doing. Suddenly she realized who it was and dropped the dish that she was holding and started crying ‘oh my little lovely baby!’ same as how I am doing right now.

I was so happy to talk with mom lying on her bed. My son did same thing that I did. He rested on my bed and I tried not to disturb him and began preparing his favorite foods. How hard it is to make a living abroad! Even though he keeps saying he likes his job.

Since his youth, He has loved reading Haruki Murakami’s books. Therefore he went to Japan to get a job two and a half years ago. Actually Haruki fells in love with western culture. I read his books and listened to his favorite music to understand my son.

“Why don’t you come back and get a job in New York?” “Mom, I want to be a comedian.” “Whatever you want to do, you can do it.” “It is hard to survive being a comedian.” “I can support you. You have a lot of talent. If you work hard you can make it. Let me hear your comedy.

He makes me laugh and keeps me happy. But I feel sad because I remember what my mother said, “Please notify me before you come visit me next time. Don’t surprise me again.

I wish I could have surprised her again but the next time when I visited my hometown my mother was no longer there. She already died.