Chinese Cut

I'm not sure whether I've gone over this or not, but over here Chinese cut has an old meaning.

Remember when you were kids standing in the lunch line and you'd always let your friends "Chinese cut." You don't? Well, let me educate...

In line, one of your friends is late getting to the lunch line; so they ask if they can "Chinese cut," which means that you let them cut in front of you, and they in turn then just let you cut back in front of them. For all technical purposes, this was perfectly legal in most school line across the country. Sure, you'd have some kid shout "Hey, you can't Chinese cut!" but then all you'd have to do is tell them they were a snitch or a rat and they'd be quiet.

The American "Chinese cut" is very different than the Chinese version. Here is a story that has happened now so many times, I care to stop counting.

We'll be waiting in line at just about anywhere (WalMart, McDonald's, Park n Shop, KFC) and suddenly someone just simply cuts in line in front of us and orders.

That, my friends (to take a line from McCain), is the Chinese version of Chinese cutting.

Yes, it is a matter of culture, and it is getting better with each generation. Look for older people to cut line at just about any time as younger generations are learning more western culture of politeness.

I imagine New York City utilizing the Chinese Chinese cut, but where we are from in the South, it just doesn't happen.

Leave me a comment if you'd like concerning your thoughts on Chinese cutting.