Sang-kyu Craig's List

When I asked why he uses the name Samuel instead of his Korean name, Mandy replied that he changed it because every time someone asked Samuel what his name was he’d say, “Sang-kyu”, which prompted them to reply, “Your welcome, but what is your name?” to which he’d repeat his name, and so on, like an Abbott and Costello routine. So taking on an Anglo name just made his life much easier.

When I asked Mandy about her feelings regarding the opinion that some whites who adopt nonwhite children (or man-children, as the case may be) secretly harbour a belief in racial stereotypes, Mandy vehemently insisted, “I haven’t got a prejudiced bone in my entire body!” When pressed for details regarding why she adopted an “older child”, as she calls Samuel, she replied, “Adoptive parents always want just the cute babies. I decided I didn’t want a cute baby, I wanted Samuel.” Samuel was playing his X-box in the living room nearby. As he pounded on the controls and yelled the occasional expletive at the TV screen, some of which sounded like Japanese, she looked at him sympathetically. “Nobody wants Samuel.” At this point, Samuel looked over at us and pouted slightly, for effect, in my humble opinion.

She also disclosed to me that she found Sang-Kyu on Craig’s List. Apparently there is a category called “Orphans Up For Adoption,” itemized by country. I can’t help but wonder if that’s really the best way to seek out orphans, as it is rather a delicate matter.

Mandy has kindly given me their guest room to stay in for a few days.