Popping in for a quick entry...

Today, I met a white guy (to put it politically non-correctly) who looked as "American" as can be -- tall, blond hair, etc. -- who spoke fluent Mandarin!!! He started asking where my parents are from and what part of China, and also if I spoke Cantonese (he doesn't).

We talked for a minute or two, enough time for me to get him his drink and for him to offer nicely to put the day's 48 copies of the New York Times onto the newspaper stand for me (this was 6 in the morning). I wonder where the conversation would have led had we the time for a "real" conversation.

Don't get me wrong, I've met non-Chinese who speak fluent Chinese before. But never quite like today :D