Last night, going home on the subway, I saw a really dear thing. Two boys came in and sat down. They looked about 18 or so and were rather good-looking, which is why I noticed them in the first place (jokes about robbing the cradle may be sent to the Kid, a.k.a., John). So the guys came in, looking like they could very well be walking into the subway in DC or New York - perfectly spiked hair, perfectly baggy jeans, perfect dark V-neck long sleeved shirt on one, perfect hooded sweatshirt on the other. Sweatshirt Boy started talking on his cell phone. V-neck Boy leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and noticed that Sweatshirt Boy's pant cuff was bunched up above his ankle. So he reached over and straightened out cuff so that it fell over Sweatshirt Boy's sneaker, and then leaned back into his seat again.
Maybe it doesn't sound like much, but it caught my attention. I can't imagine too many 18-year-old American boys who would do that so unselfconsciously and naturally. But then again, not too many American boys and girls walk arm in arm together past the second grade. Here, young women often walk with arms linked. I've seen teenage boys drape an arm around each other's shoulders.
A friend at work, Myun-soo, told me that if someone I don' t know very well happens to pick some lint off my sweater, or push a stray hair off my face, it's because that person wants to know me better and is being friendly. Hm. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I kinda like my space. But it's nice to know that if I have food on my face, I don't have to ask a friend about it. They'd just probably wipe it off for me.