(Let me tell
you about a conversation I overheard at Honolulu International Airport in the
Vacations Hawaii boarding area between an old [say, 80s] local Hawaii Chinese
man, hereafter referred to as "Husband," and his travel companion, an
equally old Chinese woman we'll call "Wife.")
Wife: You baddah put on one jacket, (name
indecipherable) w'en call and said was cold in Vegas. Like sixtay. You w'en
bring um, o' what?
Husband: You t'ink me stupedd, o' what? A-course I
w'en bring one jacket. Stay in my carray-on bag. I know stay cold in Vegas.
Wife: She said stay inna sixtays so you
baddah wear um, 'kay? (Louder) SIXTAYS!
Husband: I know dat! Stay inna sixtays. I know
dat! I get my jacket and shoes in my carray-on, okay?
Wife: Well, you baddah, 'cause she said was
inna sixtays.
(I couldn't
stand it. I looked up the current temperature on my iPad – it was 51° going
down to a low of 39° in Las Vegas – and showed the screen to them. They gasped
at how cold it was, and continued their conversation.)
Wife: You baddah put on one jacket, da guy said
stay cold in Vegas. Like feeftay.
Husband: Lee-me 'lone. I know stay cold! I get my
jacket and shoes!
Wife: You baddah! Going down to turday.
(I went back to my seat, shaking my head and vowing to
mind my own business from then on. Old Hawaii locals crack me up.)
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