October 28, 2007

$22

I had to run down to the supermarket before it closed, needing to buy a few last minute groceries. The young Chinese cashier told me the price in Mandarin, as she usually does. "Uh shye uh."

"Huh?" I say? "Uh shye uh?"

"Uh shye uh," she repeats.

"That's $22," says a Chinese man who's next in line.

"I know," I say.

The Chinese man looks at me, somewhat astonished. "Do you know Mandarin?"

"No," I say. "I can see the price on the cash register."

He closes his eyes for a moment while his face reads "Duh!" We share a laugh together.

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