(no subject)
Recently, I was playing World of Warcraft when I got a whisper (in-game private message) from someone I did not know. "ni hao" it said. Now, I am not the most cultured of people, but I recognized that as a Chinese greeting. I couldn't tell you if it was Mandarin or Cantonese for sure (the latter, I think).
So, I respond with "Howdy."
They say, again, "ni hao".
I think, maybe they didn't know what howdy means, so I said, "Hello." This is an American server, so I figure they probably know a little English, and they ought to know hello if they do.
Instead, they respond by swearing at me in Chinese (thank you, google, for the translation). "There is no need to be rude." More swearing. This time I respond in kind (again, thank you, google).
"i no speak english"
"And I dont speak Chinese."
"oh"
And that was it. Odd, eh?
My one class today was canceled so I stayed up late last night reading Hellblazer (thanks, Luke). Around 4:15 am, I got hungry. So, I grabbed my sweatshirt, a hat, and my MP3 player, and started walking to Safeway. It's a ways away, but not even a mile, I'd say, so no big deal. I figured Pullman is a small town, so there was the possibility that Safeway might be close, but it is college town, so I could see it being open, as well. If it's closed, I stillget some decent excercise. It was freezing, but I was fine. Rockin' out, I was having fun until I saw a dead cat by the train tracks. That bummed me out a bit. To get back in better spirits I contemplated my purchases. I thought about buying alcomahol, then I remembered Josh's stories about people trying to buy stuff after 2 and figured that I probably wouldn't be able to buy any. I get to Safeway, and all the lights are on. As I get to the door someone comes out, so it looked like the college town theory had been right. My first purchase idea is out, as donuts have yet to be stocked for the day. I start heading for the cereal aisle when a guy in a Safeway hat stops me. "Do you work here?"
"No. Why? Are you closed?"
"Yes. We don't open until 5 and the doors are powered down, so you must have pushed them open to get in."
"No, the ones on that side of the store" (I point) "let me in."
"No, they didn't."
That just stops my brain. After a second or two of just starting at him, "Yeah, they did. I didn't have to push them open." By this time I have started for the door. I didn't talk to him again and went back out the same doors (they opened for me again). Outside, the guy who came out when I went in, who I now figure is an employee, sees me come out and quickly shoves his pipe back in his pocket. I came back here and got into my room about 5:50. Considering how long long it took me to get ready before I left, and that I was in the store for about 5 minutes, It was damn near 5:00 when I was there.
So, I respond with "Howdy."
They say, again, "ni hao".
I think, maybe they didn't know what howdy means, so I said, "Hello." This is an American server, so I figure they probably know a little English, and they ought to know hello if they do.
Instead, they respond by swearing at me in Chinese (thank you, google, for the translation). "There is no need to be rude." More swearing. This time I respond in kind (again, thank you, google).
"i no speak english"
"And I dont speak Chinese."
"oh"
And that was it. Odd, eh?
My one class today was canceled so I stayed up late last night reading Hellblazer (thanks, Luke). Around 4:15 am, I got hungry. So, I grabbed my sweatshirt, a hat, and my MP3 player, and started walking to Safeway. It's a ways away, but not even a mile, I'd say, so no big deal. I figured Pullman is a small town, so there was the possibility that Safeway might be close, but it is college town, so I could see it being open, as well. If it's closed, I stillget some decent excercise. It was freezing, but I was fine. Rockin' out, I was having fun until I saw a dead cat by the train tracks. That bummed me out a bit. To get back in better spirits I contemplated my purchases. I thought about buying alcomahol, then I remembered Josh's stories about people trying to buy stuff after 2 and figured that I probably wouldn't be able to buy any. I get to Safeway, and all the lights are on. As I get to the door someone comes out, so it looked like the college town theory had been right. My first purchase idea is out, as donuts have yet to be stocked for the day. I start heading for the cereal aisle when a guy in a Safeway hat stops me. "Do you work here?"
"No. Why? Are you closed?"
"Yes. We don't open until 5 and the doors are powered down, so you must have pushed them open to get in."
"No, the ones on that side of the store" (I point) "let me in."
"No, they didn't."
That just stops my brain. After a second or two of just starting at him, "Yeah, they did. I didn't have to push them open." By this time I have started for the door. I didn't talk to him again and went back out the same doors (they opened for me again). Outside, the guy who came out when I went in, who I now figure is an employee, sees me come out and quickly shoves his pipe back in his pocket. I came back here and got into my room about 5:50. Considering how long long it took me to get ready before I left, and that I was in the store for about 5 minutes, It was damn near 5:00 when I was there.