Overheard

Today at the Library, we bumped into one of M’s kindergarten classmates (T).  While I was looking for books for L, after their initial greeting and catching up, this is the conversation I overheard:

T: Hey, look!  Here we are, two Chinese girls!

(I should mention that T is also half Chinese half white. She looks about as Asian as M looks, which is not that much to the casual observer, but obvious to people who know.)

M: Well, yeah!  I’m Chinese.  Are YOU Chinese?

T: Yeah!  I’m Chinese because my MOM is Chinese.

M: Yeah, my DAD is Chinese. So we are the same Chinese!

T: Well, my DAD isn’t Chinese.

M: Yeah, my MOM isn’t Chinese.  Can your dad speak Chinese?

T: Nooooo. He can’t even say Goong Goong right

(I am assuming she is meaning Grandfather.  In our family, we say Gong Gong, but M seemed to know what she meant.)

M: Yeah, he isn’t Chinese then.

T: My mom speaks Chinese though.  She calls her dad BA.

M (thoughtful):  Ba?  Like Baba.  Oh yeah, because BABA is Father in Chinese.  *I* speak Chinese.  Well… I am *learning* to speak it.

T: Yeah, I don’t speak Chinese, but I *AM* Chinese.

M: Yeah, me too!

T:  Cool.

Then the walked away holding hands.

So far, so good, I think.