Harri-bou, a short story.

Harry

He is amazing.

남자는 너무 멋지다.

He followed me to Korea.

그는 미국부터 한국 까지 나를 따라왔어요.

He did not complain.

그는 불평 하지 않았어요.

He is only happy.

그는 행복해요.

It's A New Dawn, It's A New Day

 Today is Saturday.  This morning I woke early and made my morning espresso and listened to a light spring rain falling on the rice paddies.  My last morning alone is shrouded in a soft grey mist.

For over two years I've wondered if this day would ever come.  The day my Harry-bou would follow me across the world.  Today he did.  In nine hours he will touch down in South Korea with no return flight.

Ours has not been a love built under bright blue skies so it seems fitting that he should arrive amidst the sweet melancholy of warm spring showers.   Ours has been a Winter Sonata, a Miramax film, a Dickens tale.  

However, our story is not over.  Instead we are entering a new season.  One that will build on the drama and suspense of the previous years, but with a fresh new perspective and a lighter pen.  This time we are going off script.  We are tossing out the formulas and letting our characters develop without consideration for the formula everyone says works.   This time around we are going for laughs, cheesy romance and a lot of slap-stick adventure.  

Of course with any luck, the biggest change this season will be the weather and there will be bluer skies ahead.

Perfect, Just As It Is

Beautiful things are everywhere, just waiting to be found.

But I've always loved the lost, broken things the best.

Just ask the Hairi-bou.

Noshing On Love

 

The key to my happiness:

a family that goes above and beyond.

They don't just send a few emails,

they make me a part of daily life.

For example,

this morning I awoke to a grand feast 

and a seat at the Thanksgiving table.

 

They scooped me a big plate,

we told family stories,

played practical jokes

- in short -

we were a family.

It didn't matter that all I actually consumed was my morning coffee.

The time with my family was the nourishment I need.

Trick or Treat?

"One's face is equal to or stupider then one's butt" - Strongbad

This year I celebrated a week of Happy Hallow Harry-Boo-Boo,

in honor of officially living with him longer then I've lived without him.

Somehow our circles continue to intertwine.

We've been through murder and high-water together,

so sometimes we hate each other,

sometimes we're sick of each other,

sometimes we can't stand each other's stupid faces.

However, we both know those times will pass,

and that said feelings have little to do with the other person,

and a lot to do with our own personal demons aquired

from a life filled with more then it's fair share of tragedy.

So, instead of putting so much focus on our feelings,

we just love each other despite the crazy,

despite our night terrors,

our anxieties,

our rage,

and despite the worlds that have crumbled around us.

So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that,

I love Harri-bou's smiley, 

never changing, 

always loyal,  

ever encouraging,

eternally supportive,

blindly devoted,

ever handsome,

stupid face.

Harri-bou Woke Up.

It's hard to say the day he went to sleep, 

because I did not notice at first.

But then I called his name and he would not answer,

and he walked, but he was not moving,

and he smiled, but there was no light.

but today, today he woke

but now I wonder if I am dreaming.

Because it seems to

convenient and contrived

for a happy ending.

 

He Came, He Saw, He Conquered

The Harri-bou made a visit

and he fell in love...

 

with Korea

and it's wonderful little children.

A Moment In Time

For on magical day

my family was together.

It was delightful.

It is a precious memory.

The Adventures of The Harri-bou

To say that The Harri-bou loved Korea

would be a dramatic understatement.

 

 However, he has always said no place is perfect 

without Krispy Kreme.

 Done and Done.

And I Would Walk 5,000 Miles

Apparently Harri-bou and I are are joined at the fashion hip, even with 5,000 miles between us and nine months apart.

We sent each other pictures of our new kicks today.

Double Trouble

Harri-bou is living it up in Nashville.

Partying down with his sisters on their birthday.

He's a great brother.

I'm happy he has this time with them

before he's off on another adventure.

Just Don't Call Me Late For Dinner

 

Family Dinner.

Smiley Face

No matter how beautiful another persons smile, it can not fix the things we find broken in ourselves.  The Harri-bou has always had the brightest smile for me and it is my hope that I will once again be able to smile at myself the way The Harri-bou smiles at me.

Represent

 As soon as I left, Harri-bou and The Rebeqa started a gang.

Well it was only a matter of time, we do live in the 'hood.

Highpoint represent!

Words Have Actual Meaning

For the next year I'll be digging deep into this thing we call language.  

Attacking the beast from two sides - the known and the unknown.  

A situation that reminds me that what the Teddy Bear said is true, 

"Words have actual meaning."  

So when I say, "I'm leaving."

I am saying so much more then I ever knew, or ever intended.

Definition of LEAVE

transitive verb

1

a (1) : bequeath, devise <left a fortune to his son> (2) : to have remaining after one's death <leaves a widow and two children> b : to cause to remain as a trace or aftereffect <oil leaves a stain> <the wound left an ugly scar>

2

a : to cause or allow to be or remain in a specified condition <leave the door open> <his manner left me cold> b : to fail to include or take along <left the notes at home> <the movie leaves a lot out> c : to have as a remainder <4 from 7 leaves 3> d : to permit to be or remain subject to another's action or control <just leave everything to me> e : let f : to cause or allow to be or remain available <leave room for expansion> <left myself an out>

3

a : to go away from : depart <leave the room> b : desert, abandon <left his wife> c : to terminate association with : withdraw from <left school before graduation>

4

: to put, deposit, or deliver before or in the process of departing <I left a package for you> <leave a message>

and yet - if I were to say, "I'll stay"

it becomes even more complicated.

Definition of Stay

¹   <a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/audio.html/lunaWAV/S09/S0905300" target="_blank"><img src="http://sp.dictionary.com/dictstatic/g/d/speaker.gif" border="0" alt="stay pronunciation" /></a> /steɪ/ Show Spelled [stey] Show IPA ,verb, stayed or staid, stay·ing, noun

–verb (used without object)

1. to spend some time in a place, in a situation, with a person or group, etc.: He stayed in the army forten years.

2. to continue to be as specified, as to condition or state: to stay clean.

3. to hold out or endure, as in a contest or task (fol. by with  or at ): Please stay with the project as longas you can.

4. to keep up, as with a competitor (fol. by with ).

5. Poker . to continue in a hand by matching an ante, bet, or raise.

6. to stop or halt.

7. to pause or wait, as for a moment, before proceeding or continuing; linger or tarry.

8. Archaic . to cease or desist.

9. Archaic . to stand firm.

–verb (used with object)

10. to stop or halt.

11. to hold back, detain, or restrain, as from going further.

12. to suspend or delay (actions, proceedings, etc.).

13. to appease or satisfy temporarily the cravings of (the stomach, appetite, etc.).

14. to remain through or during (a period of time): We stayed two days in San Francisco.

15. to remain to the end of; remain beyond (usually fol. by out ).

16. Archaic . to await.

–noun

17. the act of stopping or being stopped.

18. a stop, halt, or pause; a standstill.

19. a sojourn or temporary residence: a week's stay in Miami.

20. Law . a stoppage or arrest of action; suspension of a judicial proceeding: The governor granted a stay of execution.

21. Informal . staying power; endurance.

—Idiom

22. stay the course, to persevere; endure to completion.

Sadly, after I'm done deliberating between "leave" and "stay"

after I carefully choose the meaning

after I craft my intent

after I say those words to you - to them - to us

each ear will redefine

each eye will see anew

because although words have actual meaning

it's a meaning that's relative to the heart that hears it

on the day it hears it

from whose lips it hears it

That is why I would prefer to keep it simple

and just stay here silently

sipping my coffee and loving you until I have to leave.

BFFs 4 Ever

Seventeen years ago I met my best friend, Hari-bou

sometimes we've loved each other,

sometimes we've hated each other,

but we've always been the best of friends.

It's hard to image us spending 12 months apart, 

but don't ask us how we're going to make it through this little adventure

because we've already made it through far worse things
- not of our own choosing -
over
and
over
and
over
and
over...

Instead, just let us be happy in the crazy little world
we've made just too our liking.

The Handsome Harri-bou

Name: Harri-bou
Birthdate: 
Birthplace: Nashville, TN
Occupation: Tradesman / Photographer
Star Sign: Leo

The quiet, strong Handsome Harri-bou has spent seventeen years running from a haunting and troubled past he hides behind a smile.


With The Fall of Nae-nae, Harry finds himself unemployed and facing a year alone with no one to wake him from his nightmares.


Can Harri-bou find it in himself to overcome his haunted past and seek out a bright future without Nae-nae there draw him along?  Will he find the spark and the fire to dream again?