Monday, March 28, 2005

Si Habla Espanol?

My mom and sister Bonnie and I went to Sam's to buy the plates and seasonings and other things we needed for the pre-Easter crawfish boil. As we walked down one of the aisles, I noticed an elderly Hispanic couple trying to put a large box into their basket. The box contained a huge stainless steel pot with a butane burner.

Being the good Samaritan I am, I stopped to help them get the box onto their basket. As I was helping them put the box in the basket, the man was asking me something in Spanish. I don't speak Spanish. We were wrestling with the heavy box and he was chattering away and I was desperately trying to figure out what he was trying to tell me because the damn box was heavy.

We finally got the box onto their basket and he looked at me and pointed to the display burner and pot. He pointed specifically to the burner and then to the box. Oh! He wanted to know if the burner was included in the box or if it was only the pot. Got it.

"Yes, yes, yes," I said pointing to the box in his basket and then to the display. "The burner is included."

He couldn't understand me but I could tell he knew what I meant. He thanked me and he and his wife walked away with their pot and burner. I was proud of my good deed and told mom and Bonnie about what I had done when I caught up with them.

As we finished our shopping and were walking to the checkout area, I again saw the old couple. My pride in myself quickly faded when I noticed what was in their basket. It was a big box alright but it was a big box with the pot and no burner. The reason I was having so much trouble helping them get the box with the burner in their basket was because they didn't want the one with the burner. They just wanted the pot.

I pictured them watching me walk away, cussing me in Spanish, putting the big heavy ass box with the burner back on the floor and then running to the checkout with their stainless steel pot before the crazy white woman could force them to put other things they didn't want into their basket.

"Run! Here she comes with ham and a five pound can of tuna!"

No comments: