SOMETHING ELEGANT AND EYE-CATCHING FOR THE DOCTOR'S VISIT

Question from the apartment mate: "Are Chinese in general just gauche as hell?" Yes, yes they are. With exceptions, of course. In her case it's just Asperger Syndrome (a spectrum disorder), alleviated by an inate sense of grace, consideration, and kindness. But both of us have dealt enough with her people that if I lied and said "no, how could you possibly think that?", she'd know I was full of horse feathers and call me on it.
Besides, we Dutch are known for being blunt and undiplomatic.
She would suspect drugs, or that a cult got me.

The book she's currently reading has some Chinese types down to a T. My apartment mate is Cantonese, and recognizes these people from her environment. As do I.

Some Chinese, in general, are just gauche as hell.
But there are many exceptions.



Tomorrow morning I have a doctor's appointment at Chinese Hospital scheduled. Despite the fact that every one I have dealt with there with only a few exceptions speaks Chinese like a native, they might be outer-space aliens carefully trying to blend in, because that gauche quality has been entirely absent. They are courteous, considerate, diplomatic even.
And completely sincere about it.

It is entirely possible that SF Chinese Hospital only hires people with mild Aspergers alleviated by grace, consideration, and kindness. It might be a desirable psychological profile that they aim for specifically. Along with detail oriented and capable.

[Neurotypicals are seldom so precise, concerned about accurate communication, and willing to explain things in detail. Maybe the medical professions bring that out in people, as do Talmudic studies at good yeshivot, but without the talent being already present it would not happen.]

Some of my best communication in recent years has been people in a hospital environment. Calm, rational, to the point, and not loaded with stupid ideas and crazy shiznit like many of my conversations at work or on the street. Plus clear understanding, and calm thoughtful commentary. Data rich, too.

When I was picking up my refills at the pharmacy on the ground floor of Chinese hospital recently, I was conspicuously twiddling my pipe. No one rose to the bait, though. Perhaps during the middle of a pandemic they have other things on their mind, and think that as long as the old Dutch fossil is still alive and kicking, all is well and there will be plenty of time in the future to lecture him about how smoking is bad and might kill him. Either that or they recognize that being ornery in some ways keeps the son-of-a-bitch alive and happy, and, in the end, that's also what the medications are supposed to do. Even filled the pipe inside the hospital before going outside to light it. It's a very nice Danish bulldog I bought twelve or thirteen years ago.
I remember smoking it during the second to the last WP company event.

I'm wondering which pipe I should have in my pocket tomorrow.
Either a Peterson zulu or a Comoy tall billiard.
One of the "Hong Kong few".

TOBACCO INDEX


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