However, Friday night last week was all grown-up activity. Two of the top Hyundai purchasing guys for Chassis (the guy who signed our letter of intent for this whole project and his boss) had heard through the grapevine that the ITW guys were doing a good job and working very hard at the R&D center, so they invited us to a fancy dinner in Seoul. We got all gussied up in our best suits and ties from TJ Maxx (what?) and headed out.
ITW guys arrived first, and stretched out on the floor, since that's where you sit at these places - at this point it was me, Paul, Tim, and KB. Mr. Hurr, Ms. Kang, and YG had not yet shown up. Hyundai guys were the next to arrive. The conversation went something like this:
KB (introducing the first guy): Mac, this is Deputy General Lee, you met him during our first purchasing meeting back in September.
Mac: An-nyeong ha-ssea-yo, Mr. Lee, it is nice to meet you.
Deputy General Lee: Ne, and how are you?
KB (introducting the second guy): Mac, this is General Lee, he is Deputy General Lee's boss.
Mac: An-nyeong ha-ssea-yo, Mr. Lee, it is nice to meet you.
KB: Oh no, you should call him General Lee, not Mr. Lee.
Mac (with visible excitement): It is very nice to meet you, Generel Lee!
I am not sure what it says about me, since I skipped right over the Civil War reference and immediately in my head began referring to the two Lees as Dem Duke Boys. This made dinner infinitely more enjoyable, since every time I looked their way I envisioned one of them sliding across the hood of an orange muscle car.
This, I assume, was helped throughout the night by the two bottles of very smooth and likely expensive scotch whisky that they brought as gifts. After the introductions to the bane of Hazzard County law enforcement, Deputy General Lee produced a 17-year old bottle of Chivas. We respectfully poured whisky into shot glasses for everybody (there is no ice, there is no water, this is KOREA, dammit, we drink it strong!) and had a sip, and indicated our appreciation. However, as Mr. Hurr (Dad) had not yet arrived, we decided to wait before really getting going.
A few minutes later he did arrive, shook hands with everyone (he already knew the Hyundai guys), and proceeded to down his previously-poured shot without any real ceremony - no "thanks," no "cheers," no real acknowledgement at all, nuthin'. Just chugged and put his glass down. This happened at least 4 more times in the next twenty or so minutes, and the bottle was easily drained, and so we ate (Korean BBQ, but not pork, it was beef this time, and it was exceptional).
The real excitement came when Deputy General Lee produced a second bottle of whisky, this time 21-year-old Ballantine whisky.
Paul and Mr. Hurr showing off.
Again, very good stuff, and we dispatched of it in a hurry, but not before the light show. We were lubed enough for the Koreans to start telling stories, and it came out that when Mr. Hurr's old company was purchased by ITW, they celebrated by drinking flaming shots of whisky. The obvious next step here was to get a lighter from the waitress and start setting our drinks on fire. Mr. Hurr, after some effort, managed to drink the contents of his glass without setting his face on fire, but the interesting thing was that when he put the glass down, it was still aflame. Methinks there's been a lot of practice here. After he was done, since he was sitting right next to me, he reached over, grabbed my goatee, and announced it was my turn. I politely but sternly declined. Not to be outdone by a supplier, General Lee performed his own spirits-on-fire tricks.
Mr. Hurr setting the table on fire for the second time out of two weekends that I've been with him. Both were accidents, but the first was more enjoyable, since the waitstaff noticed that our super-fatty pork had caught fire and that it was starting to rage out of control. We had damn near the whole restaraunt batting at our grill to put out the flames, but not before ashes covered the place.
Deputy General Lee, setting up Atomic Bombs (soju in beer) for everyone, via the Dominoes Method. Yes, we're all professionals here.
I swear, we do more here than just eat and drink. I can just never remember what it is.
1 comment:
Oh MAN I wish I worked with a General Lee!
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