Speaking Chinese

Sometimes I wish I wasn't so fluent in Chinese. I now feel obligated to engage the fine folks at the laundry in lengthy conversations.

Me: "Nee-how."
(These are all phonetic spellings)

Them: "Nee-how, nee-how."

(Girl weighs my bag. Of laundry. Then scribbles on a slip and hands it to me.)

Me: "Meng tien?"
Them: "Meng tien."

Me: "Shay shay."
Them: "Shay shay."

Me: "Zy chien."
Them: "Zy chien."

OK, so it isn't much of a conversation. Basically, I say hi, then tomorrow?, then thank you, then goodbye. And they match me word for word. And then I leave. I think I know one or two other words, but I don't have the time on most visits to jimmy those in. I feel like since I know the most basic five words one would need to know to converse with a Chinese laundry, maybe they think I'm patronizing them -- literally and literally -- or that I know a lot more Chinese. I know my accent is good and my will is limitless. We never speak English, or, shall I say, "normal," so I don't know how good their skills might be.

Maybe I'll just learn the language and eliminate any future confusion. I'll call that fusion.