Puppies to Eat in the Andeok Market

Of course I’m kidding.

I was walking out of our Andeok home’s dusty concrete driveway, when spotted an ajumma with a squeaky wheelbarrow, walking towards the main street. I thought, “Oh no, I don’t have time this morning for another crazy conversation with an ajumma…”

I had to catch the bus heading westward towards Hyeonseo Middle High School, but a curious sound caught my attention. Other than the high-pitched, eardrum-popping squeaking coming from the wheelbarrow’s one wheel, I heard a faint whimpering. Fearing for some poor creature’s life, I was ready to defend it against the ajumma.

To my surprise, there were about seven of the cutest puppies I had ever seen in a yellow plastic storage box, placed in the wheelbarrow which the ajumma was carefully pushing towards the Andeok market area. Of course I asked her the first question that popped into my mind, “Aaaare you selling those dogs for meat?” I tried to be as innocent as I could possibly be. I didn’t want her to throw a dog at me…but that wasn’t the case. She just laughed haughtily and told me she was selling them as pets. Looking like golden baby huskies, I had to take photos – even though I ended up running to catch my bus. “It was worth it,” I thought, as I huffed breathlessly towards the bus stop.

- Jess