SOOK SOOK

While having my second cup of tea a little girl sat at the next table over. Her mother was ordering drinks at the counter, and the little girl was being quiet and obedient, but politely responded to my 'nei ho' by calling me 'sook sook'. Because, of course, I am older. By her standards I am probably a dessicated old antique, aside from being bearded, white, and scary.

When she and her mommy left, she blew me a kiss.


叔叔

One's father's younger brother is 叔 ('suk'), often used as a term of address, familiar yet respectful, and often duplicated to form a bisyllabic word.

To create more distance between oneself and the old geezer, one should use 'mister' (先生'sin saang'), such as the teenage schoolgirls on the other side. Which was completely appropriate, as at their age they should not claim great familiarity with strange men, or any familiarity at all, especially with the sparkling and vibrant young middle-aged dude sitting nearby, with his pipes and tea. But the infant was quite correct in calling me uncle.
Ah sook (阿叔) is also what adults may call an older man -- it is friendly and indicates that he is a known and non-threatening quantity, yet gives a nod to his superior age -- and is precisely what I myself call men of a certain age whose businesses I happily patronize, but whose names I do not know.

Except for Tsang sook, Chou sook, and Lei sook.
Because I do know their names.


'Sook' implies a familiarity, yet also a generational difference.
When Chinese terms of address are used inappropriately, there may be a skeevy taste left in the ears.
Nothing sounds more suspect than a late twenties to early thirties woman oozing out the term 'lou yeh' (老爺) when talking with an impossibly ancient alter kacker, or a mature man calling a young lady 'mui mui' (妹妹) under the wrong circumstances. If it can be misinterpreted, stick to formal terms.
Less risky for everyone.


As a side note, my apartment mate sometimes torments me by calling me 'yeh-yeh' (爺爺) precisely like the little girl in the movie The King of Masks (變臉 'pin lim'). Which, as intended, sets my teeth quite on edge.

It suggests superannuated decrepitude.


So.


My post-teatime smoke and stroll carried me over to the corner of Waverly and Sacramento, where a winsome young damsel waited for someone.

Ah sook profoundly sympathizes with little ah mui, whose wait was in vain.
What kind of man does not call, and does not show up? What on earth possessed him to stand up someone so ..... um, precisely?!?

A man does not do that! Unless dead.

啊叔真好關心啊妹！


If I had spoken to her, the term of address would have been 'siu jeh' (小姐), or more formally 'neui si' (女士). Conceivably, as a nod to the nineteen thirties and movies from that era, politely, 'ah gu neung' (阿姑娘).
But I doubt she would have appreciated talk.
It would have invaded her privacy.
Very tactless!



做君子 。




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