One Time I Met a Korean Actor

Several years ago, while waiting at the gate at Dulles International Airport in Virginia for an evening flight arrival of my friend, Enric from London, I met a middle-aged couple. From the conversation I heard between them, my guess were that they were Koreans. A beautiful couple. I had no idea if we were waiting for the same flight to arrive, and when the old lady looked my way, I gave her a smile hoping to start a conversation. She smiled back. I love it when people do the same. Smile or nod.

She: Hi.

I smiled at her again.

She: I am waiting for my son. How about you?
Me: I am waiting for a friend from London. He's visiting.
She: I am excited. My son has been away for so long.
Me: For sure, I'd feel the same way too if one of my kids lived away from home. Why don't you sit down while waiting?

We've been standing on the same spot for almost half an hour already, and since they were way older than me, like my parents age, I offered the two empty seats near the mister's seat.

She: No. Thank you. We'll just stay here. I thought you're alone.
Me: Oh no! I am poor with directions especially for long drives. We are from Frederick, Maryland. So from my husband's workplace in Rockville, he came home to pick me up then drove again bound to the airport.
She: This friend must be special.
Me: Yes, he is. We became friends since 2003 through another friend, and since then he's been coming almost every year to visit.

The conversation was kind of like that, and then we noticed some passengers walked out from the gate. I heard her said something to her husband in Korean. Then she turned to me with the widest excited smile and said, "they're here!"

His son came first before my friend did, but I saw Enric about five passengers after him. Her son was wearing an all-white ensemble---white denim jacket, white jeans, white printed shirt, and a pair of white shoes. He looked like a Hollywood actor, or maybe a Korean actor. He looked fresh too.

When her son arrived, and when I saw Enric, we just nodded and smiled at each other and they left first. Her son smiled too. Then the mister came to the spot where I've been standing since we arrived at the aiport. He even asked me who I was talking to. I answered, some mother who was excited to welcome her son again. I even told him that I felt like I have seen her son somewhere, and that he was good looking. I had the feeling he is someone from Hollywood. The mister just laughed at me and sort of didn't believe me. Hmph!

Fast forward to today. In the living room while shaving off short fibers from a 1950-1960's pink cardigan that I planned to list soon for my e-shop, I was watching Hawaii Five-O on Netflix. This show is my current addiction. It makes me want to live in Hawaii. I even wonder how one of Yna's close friends in college, Gaylord, lives in the island of Maui. Imagine living in paradise all year long?

Okay! Back to my story, I was wearing headphones because the buzzing sound of the fabric shaver bothered me. I am now currently watching Season 3 Episode 20, 30 minutes past the beginning, I saw someone familiar. And then...

"YNAAAAAAA! Mao ni ag actor nga akong nakita sa Dulles airport one time nga nitagbo mi sa imong Tito Enric. Mao jud ni siya!"  (YNAAAAAAA! This was the actor I saw at Dulles airport one time we picked up your Uncle Enric. That's really him!)

Then I showed her this.


I was so right! He is a Hollywood actor, RICK YUNE! I told her...

 "He's guapo!" (He's handsome!)

I guess you can't be a model if you're not guapo. He modeled for Versace and Ralph Lauren before becoming an actor. He is also from Washington D.C. No wonder I bumped into his parents at the airport near the nation's capital.



...and I added,

"Yna, he was so tall!"

and she responded...

"But Ma, everyone is taller than us!"

 Yeah! Yeah! She's right about that and I have accepted that truth for a very long time now. But really he's tall. He's 6'0".