Asian

I was at the Asian market on 9th South with Ruby, Ari and Xanthe after Lenore's tea.  A guy who works there, who is Vietnamese-American, came up to us and tousled Xanthe's hair.  He bend down and said to her, "Hey!  Where you from?"  (Which is such a taboo question.  Never say that.  Please.  A lot of people who don't look like you are from right where you're from.)  Despite his somewhat inarticulate question, it resonated differently coming from one Asian to another.  He was saying, "We're the same" instead of saying, with the same words, "You're different."  Even so, Xanthe didn't know what he meant.  She looked at me and I restated it the way I would ask it.  "He means, what is your ethnic background?"

Xanthe was still confused, so I told the guy, "She's Chinese."  I thought it was sweet of him to notice Xanthe and speak to her, to acknowledge, "Hey, you're Asian like me."  He's a nice kid.

Later in the car, Xanthe asked, "Why did he say that to me?"  I told her, "He's Asian, and he probably noticed you were Asian too, and he wanted to talk to you."  She squinted, then shrugged, "How did he know?"

Xanthe, Xanthe, Xanthe.  She is such a funny, sweet, crazy girl.  She knows she is Chinese inside.  I think she forgets, though, that she is Chinese on the outside, too!

Since we were in the neighborhood, we couldn't resist the pull of Oh Mai.  This market is next door and has the best house-mixed spices.  I chose some Iraqi curry and grabbed some Oh Mai to take home.

To thunderous applause, I might add.  Delicious!  I think our whole family might be a little bit Asian...on the inside. ;)