Chinese New Year 1992
It's the Chinese New Year, year of the snake and me with no bottle rockets. I think I'll make some Orange Chicken tonight and Crab Rangoon although I've heard that they don't actually eat that in China. I guess it's like Mexicans not actually dining on Taco Bell's Supreme Doritos crusted El Kabong Loaded Twisters.
In 1992 having just moved into our home in Flower Mound Texas we set out in search of a dining room set. We found Rosewood Furniture near downtown Dallas. It was filled with rosewood tables, chairs, china (haha) cabinets, jade, dragons, koi ponds and people I could actually look at eye to eye.
Some of the carved furniture was far too elaborate. Dragons carved into the legs or lazy Suzannes built in to quickly whirl things at your dinner guests were a bit much. Sure they would fit in a royal palace or Liberace's home but a little too foo foo for our taste.
We settled on a simple clean lined table with matching chairs and nodded to a little man that we needed some sales floor assistance. He scurried over and it was then that we realized there might be a slight language barrier. It seemed like we tried to make pleasantries for a week. Then there was the awkward bowing back and forth with us not really sure at what point it was acceptable to stop. I wondered if there wasn't a monthly employee bonus for whomever could get John Q. Publicidiot to bow the most. 'XING, you win with 47! Nice work!'
After several minutes Don said quite loudly, because nothing breaks down language barriers better than volume, 'WE WOULD LIKE TO BUY THIS TABLE!!!!! AND THESE CHAIRS!!!' The little man smiled and bowed and we off again bobbing up and down.
When we finally stopped he said, 'Yes, you like this?' Ah! Now we were getting somewhere! We nodded, being careful not to start up another bowing match. He ran to the counter to get his notepad and we began another painful exchange of providing our address. He handed our credit card to a lady at the counter and we were left to fill the silence for him. It may be hard to believe, but I have a hard time not making idle conversation in even the most brief encounters.
'IT IS NEW YEAR FOR YOU RIGHT?!' I screamed and smiled, quite proud of my worldliness and such.
'Yes yes, New Year!' He answered smiling like I was a freaking genius, or maybe just a freak, who knows. I think I know.
'WHAT IS IT THE YEAR OF?!' I asked. Thus began the strangest and longest game of charades known to man. He started jumping about, leaping and waving his arms.
'FROG?! RABBIT?! KANGAROO?! GYMNAST?!' I was having fun. Ashlee, who was only a year old seemed to be a bit frightened. I was determined.
'DOG?! LEAPING LIZARD?! GRASSHOPPER?!' Don pointed out that some of these weren't on the approved list.
The man, exhausted by this time from his workout, held his hand out at knee level and said, 'Little man.'
Like a contestant on a game show I started jumping up and down and shrieked, 'DWARF?!!!!!' He shook his head, looking kind of like he might pass out any moment. Not to be discouraged I kept at it.
'MIDGIT? GNOME?! ELF?!' I too was getting quite tired. He shook his head no, then put one hand up and started scratching his head, took the other hand and scratched his side and said, 'ooh ooh.'
'MONKEY!!!!!!!!!' I won! He and I both started bouncing up and down with joy! Me because I cracked the code and he because it was finally over.
Today begins the year of the snake and tonight when we sit down to dinner I'll think of the little kind man who worked so hard to communicate with me years ago and pray he didn't have to slither around on the floor at work today.
In 1992 having just moved into our home in Flower Mound Texas we set out in search of a dining room set. We found Rosewood Furniture near downtown Dallas. It was filled with rosewood tables, chairs, china (haha) cabinets, jade, dragons, koi ponds and people I could actually look at eye to eye.
Some of the carved furniture was far too elaborate. Dragons carved into the legs or lazy Suzannes built in to quickly whirl things at your dinner guests were a bit much. Sure they would fit in a royal palace or Liberace's home but a little too foo foo for our taste.
We settled on a simple clean lined table with matching chairs and nodded to a little man that we needed some sales floor assistance. He scurried over and it was then that we realized there might be a slight language barrier. It seemed like we tried to make pleasantries for a week. Then there was the awkward bowing back and forth with us not really sure at what point it was acceptable to stop. I wondered if there wasn't a monthly employee bonus for whomever could get John Q. Publicidiot to bow the most. 'XING, you win with 47! Nice work!'
After several minutes Don said quite loudly, because nothing breaks down language barriers better than volume, 'WE WOULD LIKE TO BUY THIS TABLE!!!!! AND THESE CHAIRS!!!' The little man smiled and bowed and we off again bobbing up and down.
When we finally stopped he said, 'Yes, you like this?' Ah! Now we were getting somewhere! We nodded, being careful not to start up another bowing match. He ran to the counter to get his notepad and we began another painful exchange of providing our address. He handed our credit card to a lady at the counter and we were left to fill the silence for him. It may be hard to believe, but I have a hard time not making idle conversation in even the most brief encounters.
'IT IS NEW YEAR FOR YOU RIGHT?!' I screamed and smiled, quite proud of my worldliness and such.
'Yes yes, New Year!' He answered smiling like I was a freaking genius, or maybe just a freak, who knows. I think I know.
'WHAT IS IT THE YEAR OF?!' I asked. Thus began the strangest and longest game of charades known to man. He started jumping about, leaping and waving his arms.
'FROG?! RABBIT?! KANGAROO?! GYMNAST?!' I was having fun. Ashlee, who was only a year old seemed to be a bit frightened. I was determined.
'DOG?! LEAPING LIZARD?! GRASSHOPPER?!' Don pointed out that some of these weren't on the approved list.
The man, exhausted by this time from his workout, held his hand out at knee level and said, 'Little man.'
Like a contestant on a game show I started jumping up and down and shrieked, 'DWARF?!!!!!' He shook his head, looking kind of like he might pass out any moment. Not to be discouraged I kept at it.
'MIDGIT? GNOME?! ELF?!' I too was getting quite tired. He shook his head no, then put one hand up and started scratching his head, took the other hand and scratched his side and said, 'ooh ooh.'
'MONKEY!!!!!!!!!' I won! He and I both started bouncing up and down with joy! Me because I cracked the code and he because it was finally over.
Today begins the year of the snake and tonight when we sit down to dinner I'll think of the little kind man who worked so hard to communicate with me years ago and pray he didn't have to slither around on the floor at work today.
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