Tea at the undertakers and a Pomelo

On my way to work or to the park, I regularly pass the undertakers shop.  I've written about them before.  Recently they seem to have been extra friendly and wanting to chat, but I've been a little busy.  However, yesterday evening, I finally found the time to chat.  I was just waking past, tired after a long day, but there he was Hu and his wife Zu.  She has recently had her long hair cut short and it really suits her.  I told her so a few days ago.  As I walked past Hu shouted good afternoon!  I walked back and said "Good evening!" ...After all it was somewhere between six and seven pm.  He invited me in to sit down. 

I told him I only had five minutes because I as tired.  He invited me to drink tea...Just what I needed.  He returned with some green tea, and we spoke!  Yes, people are starting to understand me, and me them.  His wife understands more of my Chinese than he does, but we talked about work and the ever interesting salary.  As usual I hate to disclose my salary because in terms of the local economy, I think I earn quite well and don't have to do a twelve hour day to earn my money; most people here seem to have to work at least twelve hours per day.  In context one if my pupils was working in the holidays and earning 1500 yuan per month..I earn about 11,000.  She was working twelve hours a day, no days off!  Anyhow the conversation developed and because he showed an interest in money I showed him some English money that Maria had sent.  He was curious as to how much it was worth.  We drank tea and talked.  He said he had something for me and went off into the back of his house/shop.  He returned with a huge fruit!

Now for some of you reading this, you'll recognise it immediately: a pomelo!  But even though I worked in Waitress for a year or so, I had no idea!  I'd eaten one before and it tasted like grapefruit.  I suggested that it was a grapefruit, but that suggestion was rejected.  Eventually we arrived at 柚子 (youzi) or pomelo.....it weighs about a kilo!  I eventually took my leave and returned to my flat, took out a few bags on nice tea that my friend Dan had given me and took them down to him.  He even said "thank you" in English.  A nice ending to a long day!