OUR HEARTBEAT [BEOMJUN] ✅

twenty-six

“Humility. It goes a long way,” Karina said. I turned the volume up on my phone one notch because my dad was dropping blow-up tubes into a box, and it was loud. I was across the store. Our season wasn’t quite over but it was getting close. Come October, the only people who came to the marina were fishermen. “I like a confident guy as much as the next girl,” Karina continued, “but a guy who doesn’t relate every course at dinner back to one of his accomplishments would be better.”

“How did he relate the salad course to his accomplishments?” Winter asked.

“Apparently he grew a winter garden. He has quite the green thumb. Plants love him, as do cows.”

“Did you have steak?”

“We did.”

I smiled. The First Dates podcast was quickly becoming my favorite of all the ones I’d been listening to lately.

There was a tap on my shoulder. I turned to see my mom, her mouth moving.

“What?” I asked. I pulled out my earbuds. “Sorry. Can you start over?”

“I was just saying, you seem to live in those earbuds lately.” Mom held out the packing tape to me. “I found this in the stockroom. Thought you might need it.”

“Thanks.” I took the tape and set it down next to the box. “So …”

My dad walked over and held out his hand. “Can I borrow that tape for a second? This box is full.”

I threw the tape to him.

“So?” Dad asked, obviously realizing I had been about to say something.

“We’re recording a podcast at the Fall Festival this year.”

“Oh yeah?” Mom said.

I nodded. “There will be an audience and everything. I don’t think it’s going to be as long as our normal podcasts. Kind of a special edition. But if you guys want to come …”

“Of course we do,” Mom said.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Dad added.

“Okay. Good.”

Mom smiled. “Good.”

I held up my earbuds. “Guess I have more studying to do, then.”

—————

“Hello, lovely listeners. It’s Sieun and Beom here, once again ready to tackle your problems. Tackle. Do you like what I did there, Beom?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Because the big Fall Festival game is this weekend.”

“I got it. Very clever.”

“I thought so. Anyway, after you hit our listeners with our disclaimer, we’ll intercept our first call.”

“Are you going to do that the entire episode?” I asked.

“Of course I am.”

I chuckled. “Okay, we may be full of bad puns today but we are still not professionals.”

“Do you mean bad punts?” Sieun joked.

“I walked right into that one.”

“You really did.”

“But, remember, if you have a real problem, please call 911 or any of the emergency numbers listed on our website. And thank you, Choi Industries, for your sponsorship. They have been serving Lakesprings for decades.” I tried not to make a face when I said this.