Ms. Communication

I love having people over. I had everything in place, there was a nice spread, a great range of beverages, and the candles were lit. Everything was going well. As I went around doing the last minute check on things, waiting for people to arrive, I realized I didn't have any ice. So I got in the car and drove to the STOP and SHOP (maybe it was a SUPER STOP and SHOP, but I guess that doesn't really matter, right?)

I got the ice (and some other random things which I didn't need but I felt the urge to buy in any case). There was a family in front of me paying for their groceries. I put everything on the counter ready to check out. The gentleman looked at me and stated something in Spanish. I replied with my standard answer, "Lo siento que yo no hablo espanol" (Which is a pretty lame response because I'm saying it in Spanish. A more accurate response would be "Lo siento que yo no hablo espanol bien" or "Lo siento yo no entiendo completamente espanol". But, that's not the point and I'm digressing).

So I smiled, feeling inadequate, as I'm a communicator I'd lost an opportunity to help someone out. As the woman and the child packed the groceries, the man approached me. Here's what I heard him say to me, "Where did you get those eyes?"

I was shocked. I was dumbfounded. I had no clue what was going on. The few seconds between his question and my response felt like an eternity. How could he ask me that with his wife there? What kind of question is that anyway?

"Ummm...from my parents." I responded curtly.

He gave me a quizzical look. I looked at the cashier, she was grinning from ear to ear. "What the hell is so funny?" I wanted to ask her; but I didn't.

The man looked at me again. He pointed to something on the counter. "The ice. The ice." He stated, " Where did you get the ice from?"

November 13, 2005