The Young Historian pays Minz a Chinese New Year visit.A Certain Unnamed Young Historian [‘Young Historian’] [previously UYS]: Should I bring oranges, or is the Heng household overflowing with them already?
Me: You do know the fundamental rule of CNY oranges is that you get two back, so the net orange count doesn’t change?
Young Historian: Then I won’t bother since I don’t want to carry them back on the train. You will have something else.
Me: What! No oranges for the formidable and CHEENA Minz Mama?
YH: Only if I get to eat the two I take back with me on the spot!
Me: Oh no, I’ll have to tell her you’re American. If I say you’re Singaporean she’ll have Things to Say about young people with no roots.
YH: I suppose Minz Mama will not approve of me invoking Hobsbawm on invented traditions?
Me: You might have to 罚站 in a corner. This household is not enlightened about corporal punishment.
YH: You can be like look this girl didn’t even manage to wear red or pink or orange!
Me: I’m in Fire Engine red. You better go find a pink qipao with green dragons on.
YH: But forgive all the jiak kantangs. For there are many in this land.
Me: You realise this conversation is so going on my blog right?
YH: Are you asking me if I’m still trying to preserve any imagined dignity where you are concerned?
Me: In that case I don’t have to say “The Young Historian” lah. 连名带姓 from now on.
Best of the Transparent Hummingbird