The Game

My favorite shopping adventure in Miri is a Chinese Pottery Shoplot. It is filled with China pottery items that I go to see just for the pure pleasure of looking at them!

Do you see what I mean?! I would almost cut off my hand for just one of these gorgeous vases at home! A young man greets me immediately with a huge smile and a string of pure Chinese syllables. We have gotten so that we play this "Game."

I look at the possibilities: Mama mia!! Where do I start? I am in love with all of them! I look at an item that I like. He quickly picks it up and indicates, "OK. Good!" I shake my head, but if I pause more than 60 seconds, or look at it twice, he whips out the calculator and punches in a number. This indicates its cost and he smiles broadly!

He then cancels that number and hands the calculator to me. I punch in a number and take my turn at smiling! Then I hand the calculator back to him. He smiles at me and looks at me as if I am very foolish. Another number is punched in. Bigger smile. The calculator and the smiles go back and forth. It is a game. If I turn away, he motions to me to look at his beautiful things and points out the evidence of their value!

Can I dispute it? Of course not! He knows it. And I know it! He can see it in my eyes. I can see the flash of glee in his! It is a game we play. He likes it! I like it, too. I just have to be careful. I lose so quickly!

The item today is a beautiful tea set. Painted with the sign of the Dragon. Very good omen. Very good omen indeed! White woman born in the year of the dragon.

More smiles. More numbers. While I am musing over the possibilities, the tea set is wrapped in Chinese newspaper and tied with a red bow!

Both smile. Chinese proverb say, "Chinese smile so big it run around face 7 times!"

White woman thinking, "Very funny Chinese man just give me great bargain."

Chinese man thinking, "Very funny but foolish woman. She not know bargain."

Both know, "We will meet and play game again. Game best part of bargain!"

A Fairy Tale: The Wolf and the Birthday Cake

Sunday we were invited to a birthday party at Steven's house. He is a very jovial, talkative, social member of the branch who is the 2nd counselor. He usually invites really nice people, but tonight he let in a wolf!

The missionaries were invited: Elder Hart and Elder Karchner.

The birthday boy, Steven's grandson.

The cake.

The birthday girl: Steven's granddaughter.

And Miss "I Just Couldn't Believe It!" (She hadn't seen the Wolf yet...)

The missionaries sat close to the cake, hoping to get the first piece...before the Wolf...

Applied and lit the candles...

And waited for the children to blow out the candles. "But, Grandpa, the cake is on fire!"

They soon took out all the candles and licked them clean. Then, removed the decorations and licked them well, too. They, too, could see the wolf...

Served it to one another like a bride and groom!

The food was spread on the floor. There were two kinds of curry, and three kinds of rice. The rice was cooked in the neatest little packets. One in coconut leaves. The closest one is wrapped in woven bamboo leaves. You unwrapped them and the rice held its form and could be held in your hand. No dishes or utensils needed. The Wolf liked that.

The green parcels are the coconut packets. They were so pleased to have cooked three fish for us. Of course it is heads and all. The grandmother broke it open with her hands and served it. The Wolf wasn't bashful, he ate it.

Little Miss "I Just Can't Believe It" felt safe in her Grandmother's arms. "But, haven't I seen that Big Guy somewhere before? Maybe in the woods, I mean jungle?"

But she was extremely doubtful. "Are you a wolf?"

"My, what big teeth you have, Big Wolf!"

"But I will give you my chocolate cake if you won't eat me!" And so the story ended. The Wolf got his cake and little Miss "I Just Can't Believe It" survived another adventure.

Happy Birthday to all.