Monday, December 27, 2010

Amusing Eavesdropping Session

I was on the ferry this evening and I heard an amusing conversation between an Indian boy(approximately 6/7years old) with a Chinese auntie.
Please note that the conversation is in Hokkien.

Indian Boy: The toilet is full! T_T
Chinese Auntie: Then go to the other one, there's two right?
Indian Boy: It's the girl's toilet!
Chinese Auntie *laughs* really?
Indian Boy: Yes! I cannot go in. Do you think this is your house toilet? *in a joking manner*
Chinese Auntie: So, what's your surname?
Indian Boy: It's Huang
Chinese Auntie: *shocked* Huang?
Indian Boy: Yes. Huang as in yellow (he actually meant his surname is actually written like the chinese character 'yellow')
Chinese Auntie: Oh... So, what about your father? What is his surname?
Indian Boy: Huang la~
Chinese Auntie: Your father?
Indian Boy: Yes. Huang (emphasizing it as if the auntie sounded ridiculous)
Chinese Auntie: Oh...

So I walked off after that because I didn't want to get cramped in a sea of people when you want to get down through the escalator. So, based on the conversation, I can only assume that this Indian Boy is either adopted or he learnt Chinese since young. But based on his fluent Hokkien, I can only conclude that he's adopted (according to my perception).

I want to share this conversation is because I find it amusing that this child knows no boundaries in friendship/relationship. He didn't think he is much different from his father(who is a Chinese) when this auntie finds it shocking that this boy shares the same surname as his father, who thinks that the father of this boy is an Indian like him. I believe that children are easily nurtured when young to learn things and they learn things from observation and conversations. Parents play an essential role in their growth. This Indian boy may not know these cultural and skin colour differences because to him, we are Malaysian, One! But to an adult, we separate these differences and make it into a BIG issue! I find it rather childish for adults acting the way they are and ironically supporting the One Malaysia propaganda. I think it's time we look back onto these children and learn from them instead of arguing of matters like a CHILD.

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