"Mom married a Korean gentleman, who was also one of her most regular and longstanding house cleaning clients. His name is Jun. When he was a child his entire family escaped from North Korea. They were smuggled into China and from there put on a boat to the Philippines, from where shortly afterward they made it to Canada. Their common experience of displacement seemed to help bond them together. Mom went to live with him in his house and I stayed in the condo while attending college. Later I moved out here to the Seminary of Christ the King nearby, where I was also ordained."
"What is your mother's name?" asks Carl.
"Rosemarie."
"You must miss her."
"I do, actually, but I have been out to visit a couple of times. Remember my account of the cop and the donuts? I was visiting Mom and Jun, they live in a so-so middle class neighbourhood, but still too nice looking for a young black guy to walk on the sidewalk.
"That really totally sucks", say I.
"You get used to it. Whether you want to or not. But you have to learn to laugh it off. It's either that or stay locked inside your home for the rest of your life..."
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