Why do I have to be the one to bring Ken to the hairdresser's? *grumble grumble*
Shot past the saloon and had to make a turn back.
Ish. The place is surrounded by malay boys. And I'm wearing shorts. Short shorts.
Drove home to change
Finally. Now I have to talk to a stranger.
Public: When you're lawyering next time, you have to talk to lots of people.
Yeah, well. Just because I have to do it doesn't mean I like it.
Enter saloon with a sleepy little brother.
*survey survey* Yellow room with a slow-spinning fan, a round guy sitting on the bench (shoot. now i have to find someplace else to sit), and finally, the barber who speaks Chinese.
Great. Now I have to stutter (no, not "utter") Chinese to a stranger.
The barber sat Ken on one of those high stools, and I stood around, waiting for the moment when the barber would ask me if Ken wanted his sideburns shaved or stuff like that. Heard the round guy say something, but thought he was talking to the barber, so didn't bother.
"He's blind. He's talking to you." said Thomas the Barber, after awhile.
Good thing I learned the Chinese word for "blind" in Chinese class. I took a good look at him for the first time since I entered the saloon.
Then he started to talk. And not just the self-absorbed kind of talk I expected. He asked me about my family, my university application status, the type of car I drive, my ambition... and all sorts of things. I was ashamed to note that he was more aware of current issues and circumstances than I was. He also knew about the stock market and the political situation of the country. He told me to consider being a politician to help the Chinese in the country. He asked me why I wanted to be a lawyer. And I couldn't answer him.
I can spurt beautiful explanations and words in English. But I didn't know how to explain my ambition in a single Chinese sentence.
He couldn't see me, but he called out to me to make a new friend.
I can see, and yet I shun strangers and new relationships.
I was ashamed. I am ashamed.
Shot past the saloon and had to make a turn back.
Ish. The place is surrounded by malay boys. And I'm wearing shorts. Short shorts.
Drove home to change
Finally. Now I have to talk to a stranger.
Public: When you're lawyering next time, you have to talk to lots of people.
Yeah, well. Just because I have to do it doesn't mean I like it.
Enter saloon with a sleepy little brother.
*survey survey* Yellow room with a slow-spinning fan, a round guy sitting on the bench (shoot. now i have to find someplace else to sit), and finally, the barber who speaks Chinese.
Great. Now I have to stutter (no, not "utter") Chinese to a stranger.
The barber sat Ken on one of those high stools, and I stood around, waiting for the moment when the barber would ask me if Ken wanted his sideburns shaved or stuff like that. Heard the round guy say something, but thought he was talking to the barber, so didn't bother.
"He's blind. He's talking to you." said Thomas the Barber, after awhile.
Good thing I learned the Chinese word for "blind" in Chinese class. I took a good look at him for the first time since I entered the saloon.
Then he started to talk. And not just the self-absorbed kind of talk I expected. He asked me about my family, my university application status, the type of car I drive, my ambition... and all sorts of things. I was ashamed to note that he was more aware of current issues and circumstances than I was. He also knew about the stock market and the political situation of the country. He told me to consider being a politician to help the Chinese in the country. He asked me why I wanted to be a lawyer. And I couldn't answer him.
I can spurt beautiful explanations and words in English. But I didn't know how to explain my ambition in a single Chinese sentence.
He couldn't see me, but he called out to me to make a new friend.
I can see, and yet I shun strangers and new relationships.
I was ashamed. I am ashamed.
But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;
1 Corinthians 1:27
1 Corinthians 1:27
I didn't even ask his name.
No comments:
Post a Comment