I’m standing around talking to my friends when this acquaintance walks up, slams her purse down and rants about her unpleasant lunch experience.
She went to three restaraunts and “do you know what?” she asks us.
None of the menus were in English- well, they were but they were on these laminated cards that came inside of the menus and that really offended this woman.
They weren’t the ‘actual’ menus and damn it she said, ” this is American and the menus should be in English.
So she walked around wasting a half hour of her hour lunch and by the time she got her food her lunch hour was up.
That didn’t bother her though.
What really bothered her was that before she got to an ” American Restaurant ” she fumed about the wait staff at the three other restaurants she had stopped at and how they all ‘ spoke “Ching Chang Cho”. This is happening in America where we should all speak English she raves.
So I wait for this woman to stop talking because I want to chose my words carefully and not lower myself to calling her an in-bred cousin marrying’- seven finger on each hand genetic freak.
When she stops I say carefully, kindly, patiently “But you went into China Town for lunch. ”
” So? ” she snaps.
” They speak Chinese up there- some Japanese, Filipino- you know, it’s China Town. ”
” Well, they should speak English.”
” But it’s China Town.”
” Well this is America ”
” Uh, sure- but you went into China Town for lunch. What exactly did you think you were going to find up there? ”
And then this woman says without missing a beat, ” Mexican Food.”
Irregular Bones 
What a shame when people don’t appreciate the cultural gems in their own backyard.
Now see, I like it when the menu is not in English. Means it authentic. Dammit.
That’s because you’re not afraid of the world Kitty.
Only fear would make you panic when someone with an accent asks if you want coke or sprite with your meal.
What is the most widely used language in the states (outside of officialdom)?
I was always under the impression that Spanish was most common or widely spoken, even though I associate the main language as being American English … does that make sense?
It does Alasdair, but the problem we’re having is that there are groups of people who don’t want anything spoken Except for American English.
I always put that down to the usual paranoid BS … I used to get it alot in my old job from english speaking staff who were paranoid that those speaking arabic or polish were talking about them, as if they’re that interesting 🙄
That’s about the size of it- the world is full of insecure people alright.
Yeah, there is way too much fear about the wrong things these days.
so did she get a taco or not? you never tell the important part (sic)
Ummm, Criminy she was in China Town.
You just wanted to see if I’d say that again, didn’t you?
amm
lol….yeah, i got it…i was trying to add a little more levity to the tale
Hey, you shot, you scored it was a good one Criminy 😉
amm