CHARMING ACQUAINTANCE

The most intelligent woman there also had a very sweet personality. Often the two characteristics go hand in hand. And, logically, it is a good thing to sit down next to such a person. Any interaction is bound to be rewarding.

Sitting on the bench along the wall were the following people: Mid-twenties peasantish type man, his cousin attending to her cellphone, her cute little three year old daughter, two teenagers talking and giggling.
And a serious looking woman eating pudding.
There was a large gap between the three year old girl and the two giggling teenagers, and I was ready for my second cup of milk tea, after starving myself of caffeine all morning in preparation for blood being taken

Which was an enjoyable episode, as the Shanghainese woman with the needle and the computer was quite pleasant; we talked about Shanghai after I showed off my very minimal ability in her home-town language.
I clarified that I had never been to the mainland. But I certainly must go. Everything is changing so fast, each year it is different, and nowadays it is hard to find real Shanghainese food, or even people who still speak Shanghainese ('sang heh wuw'). She sounded a little wistful.


TEA TIME

So of course I sat next to the three year old to enjoy my beverage. She is a quiet little girl, well behaved, and with a very evident sunny disposition. Fascinating to observe, and much more intellectually stimulating than the two teenaged girls on the other side with their brined chicken feet.
Very much in control of herself. Likes mommy hugs.

She was politely curious about uncle's black briar pipe, a newly restored Canadian blast, make unreadable. Which I loaded up before my tea and curried fishballs came, in preparation for a second pipe of the day.
It may be a Comoy off-brand, I do not know.

She was also much more personable than the young peasantish fellow, or the Southern European tourists with one lactose intolerance between them who sat down at the table opposite. Or the teenage boys who came in.



Yeah, no talk. At one point she told the peasantish dude "ngoh hai nui-nui", in a firm soft voice. Responding to one of his male-bias remarks meant to tease her. "I am a (little) girl". It was a factual statement, and she seemed slightly baffled and pissed that he had failed to grasp that.
She and I did not converse.

Despite her youth, it is very possible she could have wiped the floor with me conversationally. Other than yacking about tobacco, my medical issues, and what a moron our president is, I really do not have much to say. So huge an age difference can be a monumental stumbling block.
A black hole into which I shall not easily wander.

I said goodbye to her when I left.



She watched me lighting my pipe in front of the window. It is highly likely she'll be there again, as I think she may be related to the owner.



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