Somehow I do not believe that knowing Hmong culture or language is a prerequisite to being a scholar or learned person. Of course, I would expect a Hmong languist to speak Hmong at the level of expertise required at his level of training. However, I would not apply the same to a Hmong mathematician, physicist, doctor, or any professional whose area of expertise is unrelated to Hmong culture or language.

The “purposive” man ... does not love his cat, but his cat’s kittens; nor, in truth, the kittens, but only the kittens’ kittens, and so on forward forever to the end of cat-dom. For him jam is not jam unless it is a case of jam to-morrow and never jam to-day.

But if you’re determined to reply, tip your hat to the ever-classy Dionne Warwick —— pre-Psychic Friends Network, anyway —— and tell the rude catcaller: “Walk on By.”

I walked out of the mall like I was a real bad ass. Once I was in my truck, I slammed the door starting the engine peeling away from my parkin spot.