Please don't punch the bus driver.

Now I know why bus drivers these days need those little protective enclosures.

Today, the man seated directly behind me got up from his seat and said loudly to the bus driver, "Ajusshi, is this bus going to Woosung Apartments?"

Uh oh, I think to myself, does he mean Woosung Apartments in Kagnam? We are heading on the freeway towards Bundang. Wrong way, dude.

The driver says over his shoulder, "You mean Woosung Apartments in Bundang or Kangnam?"

Uh oh...

The ajusshi behind me steps away from his seat and stomps towards the driver. "What do you mean!?!" He shouts. "I asked you TWO times already! You said this bus goes to Woosung Apartments!"

(TIP: When confronting a Korean, always take a defensive tone. Regardless if you're right or wrong.)

The driver says sharply , "When you said 'Woosung Apartments' I thought you meant the one in Bundang. How was I supposed to know you meant Kangnam?"

The ajusshi becomes even more irate and starts to encroach into the driver's personal space.
Then, he starts railing on the driver for giving him the wrong information. Of course the driver is all, dude it's not my fault. This repetitive exchange continues on for at least another twenty seconds, only with each iteration, their voices grow louder. (My ears are still ringing.)

Meanwhile, I (precariously seated directly behind the driver) begin to sink into my seat. It appears that the ajusshi is going to punch the driver at any moment. I selfishly think, please, God, don't let my last moment on earth be spent in a Bundang Express bus during rush hour traffic.

Both the raging passenger and driver continue bellowing, typical ajusshi style. Suddenly, their roars are interrupted by amused laughter. The ajumma to my left says in a sweet voice, "Ajusshi, the front of the bus clearly says Bundang."

Oh snap.

The ajusshi abruptly turns around and starts directing his fire at the audacious ajumma. "How was I supposed to know? I'm not familiar with this bus system." Yada yada yada.

The woman says with great politeness, "Ajusshi, why are you getting mad at me?"

(That ajumma is so my hero. There are so many times I wish I had the cojones (so to speak) to say to a rampaging ajusshi, "Why are you getting mad at moi?")

The ajusshi simply ignores her comment and goes back to yelling into my ear, I mean, yelling at the driver.

After a few more seconds of futile rage, the passenger settles in his seat and resigns himself to muttering behind my back.

Eventually, as we began to near Imae-chon, the ajusshi says to the driver in a pouty, yet polite voice, "How long would it take for me to get back to Kangnam?"

The driver replies in kind, with a reluctantly polite tone.

It was like listening to two little chastened boys converse after a big row on the playground.

Not sure if the bus driver misinformed him or not, but I honestly felt for the ajusshi. It seriously sucks to realize you're on the wrong bus when you're half way to Bundang. I've been there, man.

I just wish he hadn't been so belligerent. Can't a girl just listen to some Justin Nozuka in peace?