Van Morrison wrote “It’s a marvelous night for a Moondance, with the stars, up above, in your eyes …”
I wonder what he would think of Moon Cakes during the Chinese Autumn Festival?
This is a festival geared for celebrating the new fall moon.
It lasts one day where families and friends gather to “celebrate the autumn moon.” Part of that celebration is the giving and receiving of “Moon Cakes.” These are small cakes (the ones I have seen are about 3 inches in diameter) with different forms of Chinese designs on the top.
Is it similar to our Christmas or Halloween? Maybe. Obviously there are not any Christian undertones or Goblins skulking around Jack O’ Lanterns, but it definitely has the western commercialism in that even the hotel is selling Moon Cake Gift box packs and several people have excitedly told me that I will be here during the “big” event.
I tell you this so you can understand my dinner conversation last night.
I went to dinner at the hotel and, since everybody pretty much knows me now, the hostess gathered her courage and decided to ask me if I wanted to buy one.
The conversation went something like this (no exaggeration, I was looking for Abbott & Costello hiding behind a column)
Hostess – Do you know Moon Cakes?
Mitchell – (feigning ignorance) No, what is it?
Hostess – It is a cake. You give it.
Mitchell – To who?
H - To anyone.
M – To you?
H – (with big smile) No, to friends.
M – Aren't you my friend?
H – Thank you. So you buy one?
M – When is the festival?
H – In August. August 25.
M - August is over. You want me to buy and give away an old cake? Yuck! My friends not like that.
H – It’s not an old cake. Festival not happen yet!
M - You said it was in August…Ok, so when is the festival?
H – In August.
M – It can’t be August, August is over. Is it September or October?
H – Um, Thank You
M – Don’ thank me yet, But tell me when the Festival is.
H – I no understand.
M – (thinking, duh) OK, is the festival in the future or in the past?
H – Thank You
M – Thank You? I didn’t say anything nice, why thank me?
H – Uh, I no understand. I’m sorry.
(We now have 4 people standing around my table trying to figure out this conversation. Everybody laughing, and of course I am, well maybe, stirring the pot just a wee bit)
M – OK, try again. When is the festival?
H - Uh, August 25
M – We’ve been there. It’s not August. Is it September?
H – Yes. September 25.
M – Are you sure? You wouldn’t lie to me now would you just to give me an answer?
H – Of course not. You try one. Then buy one for your family.
M – (Thinking – nice change of direction on her part) But I don’t go home until October; will it go bad in 3 weeks?
H – I know you here until October, but not go bad. You try now.
M – OK, OK, I’ll try one. Are they good?
H – You try, you see.
The hostess signals to yet another person who comes scurrying up (Chinese do a lot of scurrying, you know) with a plate and a Moon Cake, sliced and ready to go.
After all this discussion, and after all this effort on their part, I KNOW that there is no way I can say anything but “delicious!” when I taste it – regardless of what happens.
And then the Grand Presentation …
It’s a Fruit Cake!
After all that, they want me to buy a fruit cake!
I tasted it. I said “delicious!” I grabbed my drink to wash it down and then smiled as I weakly said “Oh sure, I’ll buy one and take to my friends at work!”
A fruit cake! oh brother.
I wonder what he would think of Moon Cakes during the Chinese Autumn Festival?
This is a festival geared for celebrating the new fall moon.
It lasts one day where families and friends gather to “celebrate the autumn moon.” Part of that celebration is the giving and receiving of “Moon Cakes.” These are small cakes (the ones I have seen are about 3 inches in diameter) with different forms of Chinese designs on the top.
Is it similar to our Christmas or Halloween? Maybe. Obviously there are not any Christian undertones or Goblins skulking around Jack O’ Lanterns, but it definitely has the western commercialism in that even the hotel is selling Moon Cake Gift box packs and several people have excitedly told me that I will be here during the “big” event.
I tell you this so you can understand my dinner conversation last night.
I went to dinner at the hotel and, since everybody pretty much knows me now, the hostess gathered her courage and decided to ask me if I wanted to buy one.
The conversation went something like this (no exaggeration, I was looking for Abbott & Costello hiding behind a column)
Hostess – Do you know Moon Cakes?
Mitchell – (feigning ignorance) No, what is it?
Hostess – It is a cake. You give it.
Mitchell – To who?
H - To anyone.
M – To you?
H – (with big smile) No, to friends.
M – Aren't you my friend?
H – Thank you. So you buy one?
M – When is the festival?
H – In August. August 25.
M - August is over. You want me to buy and give away an old cake? Yuck! My friends not like that.
H – It’s not an old cake. Festival not happen yet!
M - You said it was in August…Ok, so when is the festival?
H – In August.
M – It can’t be August, August is over. Is it September or October?
H – Um, Thank You
M – Don’ thank me yet, But tell me when the Festival is.
H – I no understand.
M – (thinking, duh) OK, is the festival in the future or in the past?
H – Thank You
M – Thank You? I didn’t say anything nice, why thank me?
H – Uh, I no understand. I’m sorry.
(We now have 4 people standing around my table trying to figure out this conversation. Everybody laughing, and of course I am, well maybe, stirring the pot just a wee bit)
M – OK, try again. When is the festival?
H - Uh, August 25
M – We’ve been there. It’s not August. Is it September?
H – Yes. September 25.
M – Are you sure? You wouldn’t lie to me now would you just to give me an answer?
H – Of course not. You try one. Then buy one for your family.
M – (Thinking – nice change of direction on her part) But I don’t go home until October; will it go bad in 3 weeks?
H – I know you here until October, but not go bad. You try now.
M – OK, OK, I’ll try one. Are they good?
H – You try, you see.
The hostess signals to yet another person who comes scurrying up (Chinese do a lot of scurrying, you know) with a plate and a Moon Cake, sliced and ready to go.
After all this discussion, and after all this effort on their part, I KNOW that there is no way I can say anything but “delicious!” when I taste it – regardless of what happens.
And then the Grand Presentation …
It’s a Fruit Cake!
After all that, they want me to buy a fruit cake!
I tasted it. I said “delicious!” I grabbed my drink to wash it down and then smiled as I weakly said “Oh sure, I’ll buy one and take to my friends at work!”
A fruit cake! oh brother.
4 comments:
Now that scene reminds me of some other stories where Mitchell was involved and I happened to be around.....let's see, like the time on the Marta bus in 1980 when the two lost girls thought we actually did know their friends....two girls in Atlanta trying to find their friends and they have absolutely no idea where they live and so they, unfortunately for them, chat up the two random jerks on the bus whose last name is Mercer....that was a classic, but this one sounded even better! It sounds like you are certainly making friends and influencing people in China, Chengdu will never be the same!
I love fruit cake! I will leave for Shanghai on Oct 18 or 19 so I think we will miss each other
Fruitcakes in the kitchen. Fruitcakes on the street. Fruitcakes in China making people go Crazy! Hope you like my new lyric...Jimmy loved it!!!!!
Are fruitcakes in China like Cheeseburgers in Paradise?
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