Beijing Boyce

I can’t respond to every reader’s comment. Oh, wait: Yes, I can. Here’s all three.

Email: “I don’t understand one of the titles in your last newsletter — “Poop on Doodoo.” - ST

JB: That title was a play on words. The bar name “Zing by Doodoo’s” has amused many foreigners because “doodoo” is a word used by children who need to go — solid form — to the toilet. Example: “Mommy, I have to go doodoo!” “Poop” has the same meaning, but it can also mean “report” or “scoop.” Example: “What’s the poop on the new bar?” means, “What’s the new bar like?” Thus, “poop on Doodoo” means “report on Doodoo.” By the way, to avoid confusion, the place could use “Dudu” or “Dewdew,” or return to “Zing in the Park,” which I always thought was a fantastic name. Just so you don’t think I’m picking on Chinese names, my name in Korean sounds similar to the word for “spit.”

Email: We either have to work on your Romance language skills or your spell-check abilities! - RK

JB: Thank Buddha for R.K., who has been a constant source of advice. She’s absolutely right: last issue, I should have used “Senor” rather than “Senior” in the piece on tequila. Further, that magical wake-up drug is better known as “espresso,” not “expresso,” as I wrote. According to R.K., “they started calling it ‘expresso’ in the U.S. when they started to sell it at gas stations!” I’ve purposefully put a few typos in this newsletter, too, for all you eagle eyes out there.

Email: “Do you know anyone who wants to buy a pool table”? - FS

BB: I don’t, but perhaps someone on our mailing list want to play some eight ball at home. If so, contact Frank at 13901-238-863.

(From Beijing Boyce III, first emailed on November 3, 2005)