konnichiwa

Yesterday at work, one of the regular clients walked in. He's Chinese. I know because he told me. He'd also previously told me that he speaks Mandarin and Cantonese. So he walks in, waves at me and goes to one of my co-workers. She tells him "Konnichiwa". I thought I'd misheard and looked over. He politely smiled at her, went about his business and when he was leaving my co-worker told him, "Arigatou".
I was mortified.

me to co-worker: Did you just tell him Konnichiwa and Arigatou?
co-worker: Yes, it means hello and thank you.
me: I know what it means, but that's Japanese.
co-worker: And?
me: and he's Chinese.
co-worker: Oh. So, he didn't understand what I just said?
me: Pshh, I don't know.
co-worker: But you understood and you're not Japanese.
me: Oh, so we're going to go around speaking Japanese to everyone? I think he thinks you think he's from Japan. Besides, he speaks English. You speak to everyone else in English.
co-worker: What else does he speak?
me: Cantonese and Mandarin
co-worker: Oh, well then he probably speaks Japanese too.
I was just at a loss for words. Ugh. I think I just sighed and probably smiled after that. I hope that man comes back.

feeling: ANXIOUS
listening to: Guster (Airport Song)
what I should be doing instead of blogging: getting the kids ready to leave