chapters 1 & 2: runaway son and kun jip
reading room
These are excerpts from Good Bye Joe, a book about my family. As I am currently in the market for a publisher, I can only post a paragraph or two. If you’d like to read more, shoot me an email at yobodish@yobodish.com.
Swoosh. Thump. Swoosh. Thump. I squeezed my eyes shut and hung onto her as hard as I could. My tiny hands weren’t big enough to wrap around her shoulders and I grabbed onto the collar of her jeogori. I knew if I lost my grip, I would come crashing down. With my heart pounding and fear choking my voice, I could not get the words out, “Please. Let me down.”
The first grandmother scooted me up higher on her back and started walking faster. With one leg several inches shorter than the other, I was certain she was going to drop me with every hasty dip and step she took.
My mom was 10 years old when her father died and her world disappeared.
It was a hot, humid day and the cramped, windowless room was suffocating. She wrapped her infant sister in the patchwork sling, strapped it around her shoulder and went out on the maru. She thought she would have better luck getting her sister to sleep out on the porch. The maru had old wooden floors and was situated in the middle of the house with open entrances in the front and the back. It wasn’t much cooler but at least there was some air circulation.
She was trying to soothe her crying sister when she heard her mother scream.
Chapter 5: Americans Eat Turkey on Thanksgiving
Chapter 6: Paper Dolls and Airplanes
Chapter 7: Days of Summer
Chapter 8: How Do You Spell Kitchen? C-H-I-C-K-E-N
Chapter 9: Burglar with Red Socks
Chapter 11: Not It
Chapter 12: Batman v. Superman
Chapter 13: The Road Trip Test
Grandma’s Old Country Dang Jahng Jigeh (Dang Jang Jigae) is the quintessential Korean dish.
Umma’s “We’re Coming Home” Bi Bim Bop is loaded with root vegetable and packed with nutrients and vitamins.
Umma’s Set Your Lips on Fire
Bi Bim Naeng Myeon
(Bi Bim Nang Myun) requires at least a gallon of water to put out the fire.
chapter 1: to convince a runaway son who didn't want to marry a one-legged woman to come back home
Grandma’s Rainy Day Kimchi (Kimchee) Noodle Soup with tofu, pork, bok choy and kimchi always made me feel warm and cozy.
runaway son recipes
chapter 2: kun jip
kun jip recipes
My grandmother (left) and mother (right). After my grandfather died, my grandmother remarried and was forced to leave my mom and her infant sister with an abusive uncle. Mom never forgave her for that, although she realizes that her mother did not have a choice.
what’s cookin’ in the kitchen
more goodbye joe excerpts
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