reservoir

It was in 1980 45 years ago. There is a barren mountain behind the house and a reservoir beyond the mountain. It is a large reservoir with an area of 5㎢. It is the Cheongho Reservoir. It means a clear lake. Originally, it was the sea. It was built by blocking the sea to use it for agricultural water. they boarded a little ferry from one side of the reservoir to the other village. This is because the road was not good. On June 6, 1980, a large-scale drowning accident occurred in the Cheongho Reservoir. It was rice planting season. While crossing the reservoir carrying rice, the boat overturned in the middle of the reservoir because it couldn't overcome the weight. There were eight people on board, and five died. Among the dead was an 11-year-old girl who was the same age as me. she got on the ferry to help with the housework, and died at a young age. The police picked up the body and laid it on the bank.

 

I saw a dead person for the first time. their face were white and their lips were blue because of the lack of blood. The bodies were covered with bags and handed over to each family. It was a terrible accident, so the police were controlling it so that the children could not see it. That evening, it was reported in the national tv news.

 

There is another story related to Cheongho Reservoir. My friend and I rode a fishing boat to catch fish. I was excited. But I fell into the water while hopping on the small ferry. Oh my! I was floundering because I didn't know how to swim. The water was deep. My whole body was submerged. The more I flounder, the more I feel like a ghost is pulling under the water. It was very scary. Fortunately, my friend swam well and saved me. I was only 12 years old and almost died.

 

In last May, In May, I met Hyun, an elementary school classmate, after 40 years at the funeral. Hyun-i was the most beautiful girl in elementary school. Sometimes I played with Hyun at my house or Cheongho Reservoir. That's it. I don't remember the details because many years have passed and there are nothing special because we were little children.

Hyun-i told me vividly about our anecdotes at Cheongho Reservoir.

It is said that I picked flowers by the water and put them in Hyun's sneakers. Like a scene from the movie Elviramadgan, we directed a pretty scene. When Hyun-i tried to board the ferry, i was surprised and dissuaded her, saying, "No, it's dangerous, don't ride it." Hyun-i remembered the name of the flower I handed over at that time, the location of my house's spring, and the shoes I wore in great detail as if we were currently lovers. I am even more happy to add new memories to the Cheongho Reservoir.

 

And the Cheongho Reservoir was home to a large freshwater fish called the northern snakeheads. The northern snakeheads were huge and powerful fish, almost as big as a child's upper body. The northern snakeheads jumped to the branches of the persimmon tree high in the sky, and sometimes sat on the branches and took a nap. The northern snakeheads, which were taking a nap on the branches, splashed again when the raindrops fell. Have you ever heard of it as a spiritual Animals with special abilities, such as cats, big snake, and white tigers, are calledspiritual Animals. The northern snakeheads were also spiritual creatures. It is a vague memory. we rolled around in the watery mud with the northern snakeheads

 

At that time, Cheongho Reservoir was a nationwide fishing spot.

On every Sunday afternoon, we went to the Cheongho Reservoir with a big bag with my friends. Why did we go? we went to pick up cans and empty bottles. Can and empty bottles were big resources. We picked them up and sold them to a local mart. It was a lot of money for young students. we bought snacks and played electronic entertainment. Besides empty bottles and cans, I also picked up rare items. Particularly memorable items are Sunday Seoul, the best adult magazine of that time, radio, coffee, and solid fuel. I also picked up canned beer and drank it with my friends. Oh my god, elementary school students drank, back then, that was the case. The Cheongho Reservoir was an attractive space where you could experience the strange things of the city. It was the best fishing spot, but now it is full of American baths and bullfrogs due to ecosystem disturbances.

 

Sometimes, when passing through the Cheongho Reservoir road, the image of a child 45 years ago who dragged a cart on an unpaved dirt road and carried empty bottles and cans is as vivid as yesterday.