Tuesday, April 21, 2009

It's a Foreign Game

042109: I know how to make an A$$ out of myself. If you need instructions, here's what you do:
This time of year we have the pleasure of meeting numerous people traveling through the U.S.A. from foreign countries. I quite enjoy conversing with them in generic English. Many apologize to me by saying, "Sorry, no speak English well." Well, believe me buddy, your "no speak English well" outshines my "NO speak German at all" or Danish, Italian, French, etc.... - and I took four years of French in H.S. & college and the best I can do is "Je m'appelle Julie" (My name is Julie or literally "I call myself Julie.") I told that bit of information recently to a visiting French couple. I'm pretty sure they were laughing with me and not at me....
Anyways, every time we have the pleasure of speaking with a visiting foreigner I play a game by trying to guess in which country they live. I'll chit-chat in generic English, answering their travel/map questions, and finally I tell them what I'm doing. Usually I'm right about the country, but then again many come from Germany and that tends to be my default answer. "You're from Germany!!!" "Ja!"
So the other day this gentleman comes in and I start playing the game, & I told him so. His name was "Proinnsias Murray" & he told me to call him Proinn (sounds like "Prawn.") He started giving me hints: "Do you know the town of 'Ulster'?" Ahhh, no. "You really don't know the town of Ulster?" Ahhh, nope. Really don't. "We are an English speaking country." Really? Ahhhhh, I got nothing. "Our countries have a great history together." Hmmm, nothing - give it up Prionn. "I'm from Ireland."
Oh, jeesh.
I laughed out loud at my stupidity, then I told him that the saddest thing, yet amusing, was that my last name was "Hurley." He heartily laughed, too, and gave me a history lesson about my name (it's some sort of sporting game.) He thanked me for the amusement (literally!) and said good-bye. As I look back now on my encounter with Proinn, I'm pretty sure he was laughing with me and not at me....???
I'm posting a photo of "moi", age 7, on the shore of Topaz Lake. Our dog, Pudge, (perfectly legal off his leash!) stands with me. Oh what I wouldn't give to have the abs of a seven year old again!

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