Working at Gammeeok proved I’m out of my fucking mind. A 24/7 restaurant located in Manhattan’s Koreatown, I became the security guard from 11pm-7am. Mind you this is when I was the only girl on the shift. The hotel across the street turned into a shelter, escalating everything and we’d get crazy people coming in, locking themselves in the restroom to do G-D knows what. Not on my watch. The way I would regulate is stuff of legend. The thieves and the loonies memorized my schedule, only coming in on weekends when I wasn’t there. Anybody can go to jail. Try me.
K-Town is an insular world, there was definitely a racial divide and mass confusion when I got hired.
Growing up multi-cultural, I thought nothing of being surrounded by Asian people. Ignorants asking what a black woman was doing there, how that came to be, some people treated me like an intruder. Except this is my city and natives like me are providing a safe space for you. There’s no K-Town in Wisconsin, this is New York, not Korea. By that same logic this neighborhood wouldn’t exist, you’re welcome.
When I first started the Africans put fear in the Asian customers. Use to dominating due to racism, they almost forgot I’m black, I’m not scared of you and I’m from here (they were not). My guests should be able to eat in comfort without being harassed, or getting their shit stolen. This is non-negotiable. People believed they could loiter and menace, nope not happening.
“Get the fuck out,” became my catch phrase. Along with “I’m calling the cops,” something my cohorts were too scared to do. Not I, “You don’t live here, you don’t work here, get out.” I’m not finna keep talking to you either.
One Chinese addict was always getting on my nerves. He thought bringing his black friend would put fear in me, I kicked them both out. They were playing with action figures, ordering nothing, both thieves. The cops had to yoke the Chinese one up once, I banned him and Mochin an inexperienced dolt, allowed him back in. Reiterating what I said, “This is a place of business not a public space. She represents the business, what she says goes. Do it again and we’ll arrest you.” Right. He’d put us through wayyyyyyyyy too much for redemption, I can’t. One time I blacked out on him. He said “I need to use the bathroom bitch, get outta my way and suck my d*ck.”
Enough! I conjured the strength to physically push him outside and threw toothpicks at him, whilst hurling insults. He came back again. Upon seeing the Chinese gangster I was with, he exited quicker than when I called the cops. His fear was warranted. Chris isn’t someone to play with, informing him next time he’ll be in the hospital. He apologized and I never saw him again.
For the repeat offenders, including his black friend and that junkie with braids, I’d literally chase after them on the street. Throwing anything I got my hands on. Unhinged. All men too, except for that one woman my regular Ronnie had to stop me from fighting. After she refused to leave the bathroom for the busboy to do his closing work. She then tried to fight Ronnie, thinking a man wouldn’t hit her. Finally exchanging words with me after I said her Louis Vuitton was fake. This set her off. Let me not delve into that right now.
As you can see from the above photo there was constant nonsense going on. I’ve never called 9/11 more in my life! The disembodied arm belongs to former co-worker Tony (a nutcase), who called me for help. Try as he might, they only listened when I spoke, true. That restaurant had SO MUCH DRAMA, the rat soup scandal went right over my head initially (read Gammeeok Is On Their Own). I’m talking second to none. The cops live in K-Town, throughout the week too.
Thanks to my stellar work ethic they started hiring more black people in K-Town. I’m that good. I’m an era in people’s memories. The entire thing was and continues to be a rollercoaster. Never forget the playlist was epic, I’m iconic and the insanity was top tier. The guests always said Koreans love drama and to party, they ain’t never lie. Only in New York. Via: Saint_Twenty
