On payday, Dad asked me to pass that along
On payday evening, Father asks his daughter to pass along something he wants to say to his son.
On payday evening, after Father asks her to pass something along to Younger sibling, his daughter says the words herself first, then looks back on her answer in the counseling room.
On payday evening, Father asks his daughter to tell Younger sibling that he’d like them to chip in a little for living expenses. She calls Younger sibling and passes on Father’s request, but when they refuse right away, she answers, “Okay.” A few days later, she tells Cheongun about the call and how quickly she answered. Cheongun points out how, in the moment of passing words between two people, the requester’s words and the messenger’s reply can become tangled together. At the end, she brings up Younger sibling’s voice that day and her own reply again, but still hasn’t decided what to say to whom.
When you pass along a family request
As you pass along what two people said, you can notice whether your own reply is coming out too quickly.
When you had to pass along a family request, whose words did you carry to whom?
Today, that call lingers: she had to pass on Father’s words and hear Younger sibling’s answer. Between Father’s request and Younger sibling’s refusal, Seoyeon’s own reply was part of the exchange too. If you’ve been through something similar, you can start by telling us whose words you had to pass along first.
Scenes
- 01 · A payday request Payday: Father’s request — On payday evening, Father asks Seoyeon to tell Younger sibling to chip in a little for living expenses. Father: Seoyeon, could you ask your sibling to chip in a little for living expenses? Seoyeon: Sure. I’ll ask.
- 02 · A refusal on the phone The answer that came first — Seated at the table, Seoyeon passes Father’s request on to Younger sibling, who says they can’t chip in for living expenses. Younger sibling: I’m tight on money this month too. Sorry, but I can’t help out. Seoyeon: Okay.
- 03 · Two words on the table That one thing she said — A few days later in the counseling room, Seoyeon says that when Younger sibling told her they couldn’t help out, she immediately replied, “Okay.” Cheongun: You passed on Father’s request and heard Younger sibling’s answer, Seoyeon. What words were left unsaid after “Okay”? Seoyeon: I just hung up. I think my voice got a little rushed.
- 04 · The voice after the call What’s still there — Even after hanging up, Seoyeon remembers the moment Younger sibling’s voice sped up, along with her own reply. Seoyeon: Younger sibling’s voice got rushed, but I said okay right away.
Stories by Cheongun
- Cheongun
- At the light, I think of what I want to say to my family.
- At lunch, I want to choose my child’s career path for them.
- When I step out after washing and stand before the mirror, the comparisons in my family come back to me.
- After the meeting, the plans and the spur-of-the-moment ideas clash again.
- When we get home from work, the first thing we talk about at the door is caring for our parents.
- As we left the exam room, Mom asked first.
- We put off the decision again while doing the dishes
- I set aside money for my younger sibling from my first paycheck