I was in Chinatown just the other day; walking around trying to find an ATM. Needless to
say, I was utterly lost and all those signs around me in foreign languages were of no help.
On top of everything, I was hurrying to escape the suffocating, foreign odors emanating from
the numerous restaurants and alleys.
I turned a corner hoping to catch a breath of fresh air when my eyes sighted a store sign
that read "Hans Olafsen Laundry." How in the heck could such a thing exist in the midst of
all these Asian stores and restaurants?
Absolutely bewildered but mostly curious, I was determined to find out how this could be. As
I walked into the store, I approached an old Asian man behind the counter and asked him
"What is Hans Olafsen?"
The old man replied, "Is name of owner."
O.K., but it still seemed a little peculiar. So I asked him "Where is the owner?"
The old man replied, "That is me."
SHOCKED, the words "How is that??!!" came exploding out of my mouth.
The old man rolled his eyes and let out a long sigh, and then he replied with the following:
"When I first come to United States, I go to Immigration Documentation Services. Waiting in
line before me was big, blonde man, probably Swedish."
"When he finally go to front of line, a lady ask him 'What is your name?' " "He said 'Hans
Olafsen.' "
"When I got to the front, that same lady ask me 'What is your name?' " And "I said 'Sem
Ting.' "
