November 20, 2006

Who's coming tomorrow?

Hu Jintao's visit, of course, reminds me of the visit in early 2005 of another Chinese leader, Wen Jiaobao.

To mark these visits by these respected guests, I offer here without comment a verbatim transcript of a conversation about Hu between two people I am only allowed to identify as "A" (for Altaf) and "B" (for Babulal).

***

A: Hu's coming tomorrow.

B: No idea. Who?

A: Right.

B: Who?

A: Right.

B: Wright, like Orville?

A: Like Hu.

B: Orville.

A: Why Orville?

B: You said Wright.

A: Hu.

B: Wright.

A: No, no, Hu's coming.

B: When?

A: Two years ago.

B: Thought you said tomorrow?

A: No, two years ago that was Wen.

B: When what?

A: Wen; he visited two years ago.

B: Who visited?

A: Hu's coming tomorrow!

B: I have no clue. Who visited when?

A: Really? When?

B: When what?

A: Hu visited Wen.

B: I asked you.

A: Really? And what did Yu say?

B: I said nothing! I asked you!

A: Yu?

B: No, you!

A: Yu? Y-U?

B: Why not me?

A: You?

B: Yes, me.

A: And Yu?

B: Who?

A: Hu's coming tomorrow!

B: OK, let's try this again ... when?

A: Two years ago.

B: Who came two years ago?

A: Wen, two years ago.

B: How do I know when?

A: You know Wen?

B: No! Please, who came two years ago?

A: Hu's coming tomorrow!

B: You?

A: I don't know, but what did Yu say?

B: When?

A: Two years ago!

B: Who knows?

A: Really? Good ... Hu's coming tomorrow.

B: Please, please, please don't start that again.

***

Debts to Abbott, Costello and Carson gratefully acknowledged.

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