I was just walking along King's Parade thinking about difference when my route was choked — you know how busy it is in King's Parade, especially on a Sunday afternoon — and being thus inhibited I took a second to look around, and see where exactly I might walk next such that my passage be more free. No sooner had I started to look than a couple of East Asian looking people called out for my attention. I was initially quite shocked, because, well, what would they be asking me? Are they tourists? They had a strong Asian accent, and were right outside King's College, do they want to know where the entrance is? He spoke in broken English asking me if I had time (I did), whether video was okay (no thank you), no no it's not online, its uhh offline, not going to be online (okay), okay, 👌, (yes), come with me, stand over here, not quite there, right here. I guess I was on some sort of (offline?) gameshow — suddenly I was surrounded by East Asians: one behind me holding up a large sketchbook, one behind me and to the side holding a small handheld camera, the two that came to get my attention (I guess they were organising the whole deal), and three or four young men against whome I was made to stand as if I was facing off. I was confused as to what was going on, what I'd signed up to, is this a rap battle? What the fuck? What's going on? The guy in front of me says boy band.
Immediately I switched my attention to focus on him alone — what? Boy band? I only know one boy band— Korean, uhh Korean boy band with seven members
(aha, they're Korean!) is this BTS? I don't really know any other boy bands... I'll just say that I don't know. They all looked slightly disappointed but for some reason I don't want to say BTS as the first thing I say to them. My challenger sings Naa nanana nana,
and a circuit in my brain immediately starts firing — this is Dynamite. I know this one, thanks Cacola, this is BTS for sure. Waheyyy!!!
Everyone around me lights up. The men in front of me shuffle, as it finally settles in that I'm playing a cross-cultural speaking-allowed version of Charades.
The next question is football,
he clarifies, soccer.
I don't really know what an appropriate answer to this is, it's barely even a question, and after I look confused for a little while he adds soccer team, famous, in UK,
and I start kicking myself because I don't know many, but they haven't given me much information. I guess Manchester United because in my mind that's the most famous one, and they seem happy that I've guessed in the right country at least, but they struggle to tell me that it's the wrong place. One woman points downwards, signalling South. A man in front of me, not the one speaking to me, says London team.
I struggle again to think of a London football team — Arsenal? No, Chelsea? They look visibly disgusted at the mention of Chelsea as someone behind me makes T- T- T-
sounds— Tottenham! More cheers as my interlocutors once again shuffle.
Sports,
there's a Korean footballer, I don't know sports, he makes a rectangle with the thumb and forefinger of both hands and hold it up to his eyes, I don't recognise that, they persevere but I resign and say I really don't know anything about sports. They shuffle around once again, a fourth man now appearing and saying
Queen
— what the fuck? Does Korea have a queen? England—
oh, Elizabeth, of course. Cheers again as they shuffle for the last time and disappointingly I don't remember what the question or answer was here, but I got it right and they thanked me for my time. I thanked them for the game, I had fun, and I walked away, smile lighting up my face, spring in my step.
Maybe we're not so different.