I get short with you when I’m driving.
Before the light changed, the husband heard the tremble in his wife’s voice. Making room for the hurt of a child within her wasn’t a contest to see who could…
At the wheel, a couple shared memories from childhood. As they tried to comfort each other, their words missed the mark.
On the drive home, the husband cuts his wife off and chooses the route. Once they stop at a light, she brings up a childhood hurt she’s kept tucked away for years. He pushes back, saying he heard similar things as a child. Cheongun listens as their words miss each other. In the end, the things left unsaid stay with them in the car.
When childhood stories miss each other
Hearing someone’s hurt can bring your own experience to mind first. Notice when that memory starts to cover up what they’re saying.
When someone close to you shared a childhood story, what changed the conversation?
The moment they couldn’t finish talking before the light changed lingers. When you bring up your own childhood while listening to someone else’s, you can end up looking in different directions, even as you talk about similar things. If you’re carrying something like this, you can tell me about it too. We can listen together for where the words began to run short.
Scenes
- 01 · Blinking turn signal The route already chosen — When Yuna starts to speak, Minsu changes the destination on the navigation. Yuna stops mid-sentence. Yuna: I was going to talk about Mom today. Minsu: It’s late. Let’s just go to our place first.
- 02 · Words caught at a red light At the light — The car stops at a light. Yuna turns toward Minsu and says, “When I was little and said I was upset, Mom would ask why I was making such a big deal of it.” Yuna: I still think about that. Minsu: I grew up hearing things like that too. But it’s all in the past now.
- 03 · Childhood comes back around Two different childhoods — In the counseling room, Minsu brings up his childhood. Yuna’s hurt is still waiting for an answer. Cheongun: I’ve heard Minsu’s side too. Yuna, is there something you still want to say? Yuna: I want to explain why I reacted that way.
- 04 · The words left unsaid Silence at the end of a sentence — When Minsu finishes, Yuna lowers her gaze toward the table. Her lips close again before she can answer. Cheongun: Yuna, what were you about to say next? Yuna: I wanted to tell Mom I was still hurt.
Stories by Cheongun
- Cheongun
- I set aside money for my younger sibling from my first paycheck
- It’s hard to tell my parents I’m getting counseling.
- I gave them flowers, but they didn’t say thank you
- After two friends fall out, I open the group chat every Sunday night
- When childhood comes up, we say less as we each search for an answer.
- On my birthday morning, the talk turns to caring for my parents again
- When someone believes you’re in pain
- I came home without apologizing to my child.