Laughter on the Metro

While riding the metro on the way to my acupuncturist, a little girl stepped onto my train car accompanied by her ayi or grandma. She noticed me, pointed, and loudly said something to her caregiver. The older woman looked at me, laughed kindly, and said a bunch of things. We quickly drew quite the crowd for the typical boring rush hour subway commute!

I will be the first to tell you (my coworkers who are moms will attest to this) when I am not working, I don't want to be around kiddos. I will turn down hangout times with coworker friends because their children will be in tow. 

It's true. I'm pretty much heartless.

Even so, this cutie kept peeping at me. She bent down to see what was on the other side of my Kindle. It must have been a disappointment, so I got out my phone and began to show her pictures. 

Of course, I now have the perfect pictures to get any little girl thrilled - my Snow White costume!! I wish you could have seen her eyes widen, mouth drop, then a brilliant smile form when she saw these:

The next one brought a more confused look. She wasn't sure what to think of these. Neither am I.

When I showed her the picture of my coworker's daughter playing with my hair, there were suddenly all kinds of exclamations and smiles coming from her. It's the beads in the hair; I know it. Also, proof I am not always heartless with my coworkers' children.

By this point we had people peeking around others trying to get a look at me. Everyone was smiling (or trying not to) at the little girl's reactions. I really wonder what she was saying.....

Eventually they said "bye-bye". Everyone says "bye-bye" instead of "bye" or "goodbye".  I catch myself saying it all the time now. Then the others left with one man awkwardly saying "bye". I have a feeling he may have been able to interpret for me. Shucks.

These two ladies sent this to me saying, "We miss you!" They know me SO well. Little girl's eyes lit up seeing the sparkly, feather clad masks.

I put my phone away after this. By now the entire car was looking. Suddenly it didn't feel right. Me, a white foreigner, showing her all these wild pictures of fun times. Did I just play into every stereotype of privileged Americans? 

Still, it was a delight to see her smile in pure wonderment.On my rainy walk home (China rains as much as Colorado has sunny days) I dodged several men who seemed to all have the urge to spit at the same time. 

It was gross. 

I cringed. 

I tried to find that place within me that has a newfound understanding of the spitting culture here, knowing the pollution often causes a need to spit. 

Empathy wasn't there this time.  

Successfully avoiding bumping into people is not an easy thing here! I wanted to celebrate that GIGANTIC feat! Instead, I did a quick body check to note if I was accidentally spit on. Thank the Lord for tiny blessings. Yuck. 

I wonder what people would do if I returned the gesture of the deep-gurgle-in-the-throat-hocking-of-a-loogie? Should I experiment? I mean, it IS cultural......