100 Love Letters I'll Never Send ( pt II A Safe Place In the Mourning Calm) (c) 1999 2017

An experience while stationed(US Army) in Korea. It's beginning to get sexual...

Soju is the creeper buzz. You drink it for hours wondering, 'Why Am I not drunk?' Then it hits you out of nowhere and you are completely destroyed!

They seemed somewhat Westernized. I had been to places here where they all had to sit low because of the table. They sat close together on a neon green sofa. This table was pretty long. Looked to be made of marble. There was a large chandelier on the ceiling that perfectly cast shadows on their low cutting blouses. There was a large plate of Korean style foods on it; like Yaki Mandu, rice rolls, and squid. They were pouring their drinks out of a pitcher that was shaped like a dragon. Out of the mouth of the dragon a green clear liquid flowed into their fancy cups that had strange Korean mask on it. I learned later this was the Korean Exorcism mask.

I stood at the front of them. It was like I was in front of panel of judges. They just kept giggling. Looking at me. I assumed they were laughing at me. I wanted you there. Felt like you were the only one that understood me. I wanted a cigarette bad.

The elderly woman whispered in the girl next to her, ear. The girl stood up. Walked around the table. Took my hand. I wanted to cry. I was frightened. I hated myself for being frightened. For this was what a real man would want to be surrounded by thirteen gorgeous women. ‘Come,’ with a sexy Korean accent.

She walked me around. I sat between her and the elderly woman. I remembered that the elderly woman was called ‘Momasita’ by Toro. I would learn later the actual term for her was ‘Mamasan.’

Mamasan poured me a drink. I gulped it down. They giggled. ‘Slow down,’ one of them warned. It was easy to get down for a couple seconds. Then the flavor of lime mixed with what seemed like rubbing alcohol got me. ‘Eat,’ Mamasan ordered. I indulged in the food. Drank my drink with gulps.

They laughed. I asked them what it was I was drinking. They giggled more and said something like, ‘Soul You.’

Evidently my tolerance for alcohol was better than theirs. I wasn’t even buzzed. I looked around to see if there was a clock anywhere. It felt like I had been there for at least two hours. ‘Man why couldn’t I get a buzz!’ I thought.

Mamasan runs her fingers through my hair licks the inside of my ear, ‘Relax.’ Then buzz hit me.

Mamasan gave more instructions in Hangul. One of them got up and turned off the chandelier. Turned on a strobe light. Two others got up.

Bon Jovi’s ‘You Give Love A Bad Name,’ started blaring out of unseen speakers.

The two stood on the middle of the large table and started undressing each other.