A Real Conversation

This conversation actually took place back in January, just before my birthday, but it is forever burned into my memory.

The conversation takes place inside a very, very small changing stall with a woman I had never met before, changing out of my wet swimsuit while she tried to “help” me by entertaining Ellie. HOW did this situation happen?

Ellie and I had gone swimming with my women’s Bible study group. I had to leave earlier than everyone else to get Ellie home for a nap. So I go back to the locker room to get changed. Taiwanese women are shy about changing out in the locker room, so everyone uses stalls. I was planning to just let Ellie play on the floor while I quickly changed in the main area. But this lady rather persistently insisted that I needed her to help me. I finally gave in and we both go into the very, very, very tiny stall together.

Also, we are speaking Chinese. Here we go…

Lady at Pool: You seem really young to have a baby, how old are you anyways? (people are always asking me this, for some reason they think I look too young to be a mother)

Kristie: (thinking, “I’m 26, but I’ll say 27 because my birthday is next week.”) Sixty-seven.

Lady at Pool: You can’t be sixty-seven. How old are you?

Kristie: It’s true, I’m sixty-seven.

Lady at Pool: There’s no possible way! How old are you really?

Kristie: No. Really. Sixty-seven.

Lady at Pool: No. Really. That can’t be right. Use English.

Kristie: (in English) Twenty-seven.

Lady at Pool: That sounds more like it, but it’s still very young to have a baby.

Kristie: (very embarrassed that she has been insisting that she is 67 and more than a little flustered by the whole changing situation) OK, thanks for your help.