Often, when I go around town to a restaurant, a store, the cafe, or to buy my groceries, to get a woman's attention I will say "Miss!" in Chinese, thinking nothing of it. Well I had been wondering why as of late I had been getting some rather distasteful responses to me hailing the waitress, storeowner, or hairdresser. My friend and colleague kindly informed me that to address someone here as "Miss" is the equivalent of calling them a prostitute, because those women of the night prefer not to be called by their names, whereas women who are not in that profession have names and are not addressed as "Miss." I learn something new each day.