I should have offered her my phone number

[lauradi7dw]

Does having a fandom in common with a stranger mean that you should be friends? I was walking down a street about half a mile from home this afternoon and saw someone getting out of a car with BTS-related plates and a homemade sign in the back that said "Yoongi Marry Me." (it's a thing. It's a long-running joke, but I have to assume that large quantities of people do not in fact want to marry Min Yoongi)1
I followed her down her driveway and complimented her on the license plate. She said "Oh, are you ARMY?" 2
In response, I just turned around so she could see my backpack (in the icon). The little blue koala is named Koya and is one of a set of cute fuzzy creatures meant to represent the BTS members.
She laughed and held up her keychain, which had a somewhat larger Koya on it.
She asked if I had watched Jin's livestream this morning. I said no (I have since seen a couple of recorded clips from it) but that I had watched his most recent music video. She happily mentioned that they only have about another month before they are all done with their military service. We waved and I walked on. Then I wondered if I should have exchanged contact info in case we ever need to get in touch. I know where she lives (that isn't meant to sound ominous) but sending her a card or something would seem like stalking. A missed chance.

1 Here he was with Mary Brian's hair style two years ago.
https://lauradi7dw.dreamwidth.org/739618.html

2 https://stylecaster.com/entertainment/music/1218189/bts-army-meaning/

Comments

[kshandra]

One of my dearest friends is ARMY along with her housemate, and everything she has told me makes me think that you absolutely *could* have asked for contact information (social media, at least, if you are on other platforms than this). It could well lead to you having more connections with the local fandom, if you are at all interested in more social outlets. I have no doubt that there is a lot more to do on this coast for various reasons, but Kimmi has mentioned attending multiple picnics, etc. and has developed a reputation for "having the BEST swag" (Swiftie bracelets walked so Kimmi's keychains could run).

Also, the screensaver on her TV is the BT21 characters, and they are utterly adorable.

[lauradi7dw]

I am on twitter (still) and Bluesky. One of the reasons to stay on twitter is that I get a lot of BTS content. I have one Boston mutual person on twitter who connected me to a couple of photocard trading events at local tea shops, but I haven't followed up much with that. Mutual person posted about being at the big protest on April 5th. I replied that I hadn't seen them there. Then I realized that I might have been standing right next to them and not known. In reply, they DM'd me a photo, but neither of us has suggested meeting IRL.
There are two other ARMY in my Korean class.

I was thinking of you this morning before I saw your reply, and the Metallica charity. I donated when Doug died, but that has been a shockingly long time ago now. I'm sure it's still fresh to you. I should send them some more money.
How are you doing?

[kshandra]

It’s both impossibly forever ago and still so fresh - I keep expecting to see him come through the door of a house he never lived in.

Speaking of which, progress is finally being made on the move to Bakersfield. The storage pod that our entire apartment went into when I moved back in with murphymon was delivered and emptied last week, and she’s nailing down details on when she’ll be getting her storage units loaded here. In the meantime we’re spending most every weekend down there, getting familiar with where things are both in the house and in the city.

Thank you for asking. 💜