For the past six years, I've stopped at a little Mexican hole-in-the-wall for lunch, about once a week. It's the sort of place that serves food on paper plates with plastic forks, which is just fine with me.
My standard order is 2 carne asada tacos, extra cilantro & lime, for $3.20. But since my first visit six years ago, I've never spoken my order; the cook/cashier always says, "Dos carne asadas?" I respond, "Si, gracias". And that's it, because I don't speak Spanish and she doesn't speak English.
Or didn't.
Today, for the first time EVER, she brought my order to my table. And then, she smiled an animated smile & started jabbering! She talked about the incoming snow storm in broken but exuberant English, clearly happy to finally talk to me. And I was thrilled to finally talk to her!
It was such a wonderful moment! Of course, right on the heels of it, I thought again that I really must become proficient in Spanish, the sooner, the better. There are so many beautiful people that I can't experience, can't enjoy, because of my linguistic limitations.
So here's to English/Spanish language acquisition, hers today & mine tomorrow. And here's to all the good it will bring.
No comments:
Post a Comment