M：What's up, Billy Why are you crying

S：Well, I am feeling upset and sad about being turned down by John.

M：How come

S：Mom, you know the summer's around the corner.

M：So

S：So I sent him a pack of handkerchiefs.

M：What happened next

S：He said he did appreciate it, but handkerchiefs mean more than that.

M：Oh, really!

S：One of the reasons that Chinese people would not offer handkerchiefs as gifts is they are mostly used for wiping out tears, which indicates something sad happens. So they are not considered being given as presents.

M：Cool! It makes sense. What else

S：He also said handkerchiefs are something, which are used to wave for saying goodbye, referring parting with a person forever.

M：Cool! It makes sense, too. What else

S：Mom, are you trying to comfort me or something

M：Yes, I'm trying to……but I haven't found anything improper……Have you given them to him

S：Yes, but they were turned back to me, so that I felt so depressed……

M：All right, why not try towels instead of handkerchiefs……

媽媽：比利，你怎麼了？你怎麼在哭呢？

兒子：嗯，我覺得很傷心難過，我被約翰拒絕了。

媽媽：怎麼了

兒子：媽，您知道夏天就要來了。

媽媽：那又怎麼樣

兒子：所以我送給他一包手帕。

媽媽：後來呢？

兒子：他說他很感激，但是手帕還有其他不好的意思。

媽媽：唷？是嗎？

兒子：中國人送禮不送手帕，其中一個原因是因為手帕大部分用來擦淚，也就是有傷心的事情發生。所以不能拿來送禮。

媽媽：真棒！很有道理。還有呢？

兒子：他又說手帕是揮一揮，用來道別的，是指跟某人永遠分離。

媽媽：真棒！也很有道理。還有呢？

兒子：媽，您是在安慰我還是怎樣？

媽媽：我是想啦……可是我還沒找到什麼不適當的，那你送給他了嗎？

兒子：他退給我了，所以我才這麼傷心。

媽媽：既然手帕不行的話……那就送毛巾好了。