the white banana

Though I don't read often, Amy Tan is one of the authors that I have enjoyed reading growing up. Being of Chinese descent, she writes about many things that I can relate to, on a level that most people cannot understand.

The latest "I-can-relate" mention in her book "The Bonesetter's Daughter", was a reference to how the narrator's mother counted with her fingers. The Chinese counting style is by pointing first to one's own baby finger and bending each finger down toward the palm, whereas the American style is to keep fingers open and spread out. It was another one of those things that made me chuckle to myself. It also made me realize that the author must be very observant to pick up these things. Heck, I've never realized that's how my mom counts until the author pointed it out.