“Oh”
I never knew a two letter word could carry such
disapproval. Well, not until today that is. The story goes like this. I was
asked to help judge a speaking competition for my department. Sure, no problem.
I needed to dress nice. Again, no problem, I dress nice anyways for teaching.
But, for this event I figured I could bust out my skirts instead of my
khakis. So today, I donned my favorite
brown and green plaid skirt paired with green t shirt, brown tights and my
cowboy boots.
Speaking of boots, is there anything more satisfying
that hearing the sound of your booted heel clipping on the ground? I think not.
I thought the outfit was well put together, until I
stepped outside and the breeze caught my skirt. “Drat”
I was going to have to fight the wind all day or go
back up and change into pants. Well I like my skirt too much to change, so I
fought the wind. It was a valiant foe, but I do believe that I won today.
The disapproving “oh” was not uttered until lunch
time, when my whole office was leaving to eat together in the dining hall.
Clara and Vivian were walking a few paces behind me, but I could see out of my
peripheral vision Clara looking me up and down. Automatically, I ran my hand
down my skirt to make sure it was not pulled up in some place. (It has happened
before) I heard her mutter something in Chinese to Vivian and I thought I
caught the word for “cold”. I knew they had to be talking about me, and if I
was patient, it would come out.
Sure enough, not even a minute later Clara asks
“Hilary, what do you have under your leggings?”
I glanced down at my legs, which, as I stated
before, were clad in thin tights.
I nervously giggled like a small child caught with
its hand in the cookie jar and said “ummm, nothing.”
That was when it came. “Oh,”
So much disapproval put into one little word. I have
known Clara long enough now that she feels comfortable telling me things. And
once again, Hilary was getting told she was not wearing enough layers.
Following the disapproving “oh” was the usual
barrage of questions if I was cold and why I was only wearing one layer. I was
able to answer that no, I was not cold (well, not unbearably) and that I had
forgotten to put on a second layer of leggings this morning (truth, I didn’t
know it was gonna be so nippy out).
Then came the next fun part of my afternoon. Both
Clara and Vivian told me that the lecture hall we would be in for the
competition would be cold. In indirect Chinese speak, this was their way of
telling me to go get a sweater for later. Thankfully, I am quite fluent in
indirect Chinese speak, and announced that after lunch I was going to go fetch
a sweater as if it had been my plan all along. My co-workers all gave each other pleased smiles which warmed my
heart. They felt they had fully completed their duty in making sure their foreign
office mate didn’t freeze to death.
Their concern is so touching, and I find it
sweet that they are comfortable enough to voice their opinions, even if it is
in an indirect way at times.
The day was not over yet. I got told about four
other times that “it was cold out” that day. All indirect ways of saying, “Girl,
you need to be wearing more clothes.”
I love China!
