One Door Dee ... or something like that

Just got home from work.

Every now and then in Hong Kong, one gets a taxi driven by a well-meaning but ever-so irritating guy who insists on spending the whole journey correcting one's Cantonese.

Tonight was one of those occasions.

You know what kind of ride you're going to get when they ask you to repeat (6 times tonight) the desired destination. It's tempting to revert to English -- and that's what I think they're forcing you to do ... but I was not going to give the guy tonight the satisfaction.

And, dammit, I've given the directions home so many times now - 99 out of 100, there's no problem.

But tonight .... grrrrr ... My usual "Check Chue Chin Do" (Stanley Village Road) was not good enough. It has to be Check (high inflexion, more acute) Chue (low inflexion, kind of rounded) Cheeeen (high inflexion, longer) Do (no problem, but could be a bit lower).

Sigh.

Admittedly, we had to be careful announcing where we used to live ("Chin Seui waan" = Repulse Bay) ... as "Qingshui Wan" is "Clear Water Bay" which is miles away over on the dark side (Kowloon way - off Hong Kong Island).

So tonight's driver was correcting everything I said - I thought he was going to start on my English ... I was half tempted to talk to him in German - but last time I tried that (in 1982 I believe) got me into a bit of trouble with a British Rail guard near Torquay *long story that one*.

So, rushing out of the cab tonight, I wished the driver Kung Hei Fat Choy ... only for him to say "you should say: One Door Dee, which means 'I hope you reap lots of money'".

Just about sums this place up.

Have a grumpy new year.

M