shadow’s at summer camp…

went to pick up shadow at the airport only to find out the cargo terminal was in the airport. i was glad to have my iphone with me — its map applications was one of the reasons that made me go for at&t over the other services.

when i got to the destination i typed in, i realized it wasn’t the place i was looking for. either i typed in the address wrong, or the application decided to go with a similar match. the correct address would have taken me a few minutes from the airport. the wrong directions took me to union square in san francisco where i circled market street because i missed a turn.

i kept saying, “i hate this city,” over and over again. i truly don’t, but after driving alongside the road you need to be on and not being able to take a left because i kept seeing signs at the intersections saying, left turn only for taxis and bus, i started to get really angry. san francisco is the least drivable city on my list. the traffic, one way streets, and chaos — at one point, i was stuck in a lane reserved for the municipal bus and taxis because i avoided the other lane which had a bike symbol on it.

i drove back to the airport, took the road to the cargo areas, and searched for the asiana cargo office. i found it near the post office, which i found in the west area after the woman in the north area, which i found by following the map application, told me to go there. while i was at the airport, i called the office and talked to an operator who said, do you know where the post office is?

no. i didn’t. but now, i do. from that phone call to finally reaching my destination — one hour. actual distance from cargo terminal to airport — probably less than a mile.

i signed a sheet at the office, went to customs, got a sheet signed and copies made, returned, left for the post office because the asiana cargo office would only take exact change in cash, and picked up my cat, finally, from the cargo hold. the man took my paper, looked at the cat crate, walked away, and returned later. you should have told me you were picking up a cat because i went around looking for your package.

seriously? doesn’t it say CAT on the paper? you didn’t even ask.

i brought shadow home after a trip to the pet store. my mom, surprised, asked me why i brought a cat home even though i told her several times about it.

you said you were giving her to a friend, she said.

i never did. we argued, and i shouted, why did i come back? a part of me wanted to go back to korea, and i started to contemplate it. i looked online for a cat boarding service and took shadow to a kennel which is charging me $16 a day to keep her.

for the past hour, i’ve been planning my escape from this house. i want to make a clean break from this family. i’ve been daydreaming about packing my things in a car and taking off somewhere.

and that will be the last my family hears from me.