Language barrier...or not....

[Frantic Freddie]

I'd been workin' in the music (instruments) store for about a year,really liked it even if the owner was somewhat of a tyrant sometimes.

So one day a Spanish* couple comes in & tells me they need a beginner (cheap) guitar for their son.Sure thing folks,we have a nice beginner guitar with a case,strap & picks for $100 (did I mention this was 1977-78?),a very popular instrument,we've sold lots of them.

So they begin speaking Spanish to each other.

Now I'm a redhead,blue eyes,easily sunburned complexion,I certainly don't look like someone who would speak Spanish.But....I'd lived in Spain for almost 5 years & spoke it very fluently.

"This asshole's tryin' to rip us off,we can get one cheaper than that" was pretty much the gist of what they said.I stood there with a smile on my face,knowin' that revenge was mine.....

As they switched back to English & said they'd look around,I switched to Spanish & thanked them for coming in & we'd be happy to help them anytime.

They left skidmarks.

Even better,my boss,Spanish himself,had heard the whole thing & as soon as he knew they were gone came out & said "I knew you were gonna do that!" then fell down laughing!

*in New Mexico they're very proud of their Spanish heritage,so they call themselves Spanish

[Eisa]

Hey, I was born in New Mexico! I've actually had people ask me if I need my green card to work. Like...dude...New Mexico's a state.

Anyway: Don't you love when you can do that? My friend in high school was strawberry blonde, blue-eyed, pale as heck, and freckled...but she was half-Mexican because of her mom...she got some weird coloring off some relatives...I know she got some looks for being in the HALO club, but she really was Hispanic!

[Frantic Freddie]

Have you ever seen New Mexico Magazine? The last page is "One of our 50 is missing",stories about people that don't know we're a state,some damn funny stuff sometimes.

Happened to me once when I was playing in South Dakota.We'd sat down with some customers that liked the band & they asked us "Do y'all have any trouble getting across the border?" The bass player & I winked at each other & asked them "Which border? The Colorado border? Wyoming? South Dakota? Which border are you talking about?"

[Andara Bledin]

Along similar lines, my mother once told a friend her aunt was from Vermont.

The friend then asked, "What state is that in?"

^-.-^

[Gaki]

Back when I lived in New York and talked to people out of state they'd say:

"Oh gosh, that's a dangerous city!"

Me: "What city? Buffalo? Oh no, I'm at least half an hour from there."

[Bright_Star]

Back when I lived in New York and talked to people out of state they'd say:

"Oh gosh, that's a dangerous city!"

Me: "What city? Buffalo? Oh no, I'm at least half an hour from there."

I've heard it said that the rest of the state of New York can't stand New York City cause too many people think that's the "state" itself.

[Frantic Freddie]

I've heard it said that the rest of the state of New York can't stand New York City cause too many people think that's the "state" itself.

To this ol' redneck it is,hell,anything east of the Misissippi is New York

[ExRetailDrone]

To this ol' redneck it is,hell,anything east of the Misissippi is New York

Damn, I live in the most rural New York City ever!

[FArchivist]

To this ol' redneck it is,hell,anything east of the Misissippi is New York

Atlanta is New York?

[shankyknitter]

Me: "What city? Buffalo? Oh no, I'm at least half an hour from there."

I grew up in Buffalo, well right outside of it anyway. Now I'm out in Albany and I still get funny looks and people asking how I can afford to live in the City. Honestly people, if someone says they're from Ohio do you automatically assume they're from Cleveland too?

[jnd4rusty]

Have you ever seen New Mexico Magazine? The last page is "One of our 50 is missing",stories about people that don't know we're a state,some damn funny stuff sometimes.

Happened to me once when I was playing in South Dakota.We'd sat down with some customers that liked the band & they asked us "Do y'all have any trouble getting across the border?" The bass player & I winked at each other & asked them "Which border? The Colorado border? Wyoming? South Dakota? Which border are you talking about?"

Please believe me, not all South Dakotans are that dumb!! It is kind of funny. I hear stories about people who don't even know where South Dakota is or think we are a part of North Dakota. Seriously, I have had tourists tell me that their friends (after hearing they are visiting SD) ask if North and South Dakota was one state. I have also heard that people think the whole state is a reservation. When I worked at Mt. Rushmore, I had tourists ask if we take the mountain down in the winter, do we cover the faces when it rains, ask if it was made of marble or stone...seriously if you are going to visit something you should at least do your homework about the place!! Most people are suprised about how sparse the population is. I was reading a story about an ad that was sent out touting that over 1 million South Dakotans approve of some product..the only problem with that is the population is only about 750,000 give or take!! (sorry for the thread jack!)

[Eisa]

People have also not realized that Idaho is a state...and WHY do they have to make such stupid jokes about the name? Yeah, yeah, I get it "I da ho." It's not clever anymore.

My Government 101 teacher got to shock people in...somewhere in Florida, maybe? when he mentioned that only fairly recently was a law passed that high school students couldn't take hunting rifles to school. You know, have it in the back of your pickup and go hunting after school...

We live in a cave, I'm sorry. *hangs head*

[Frantic Freddie]

Please believe me, not all South Dakotans are that dumb!! It is kind of funny. I hear stories about people who don't even know where South Dakota is or think we are a part of North Dakota. Seriously, I have had tourists tell me that their friends (after hearing they are visiting SD) ask if North and South Dakota was one state. I have also heard that people think the whole state is a reservation. When I worked at Mt. Rushmore, I had tourists ask if we take the mountain down in the winter, do we cover the faces when it rains, ask if it was made of marble or stone...seriously if you are going to visit something you should at least do your homework about the place!! Most people are suprised about how sparse the population is. I was reading a story about an ad that was sent out touting that over 1 million South Dakotans approve of some product..the only problem with that is the population is only about 750,000 give or take!! (sorry for the thread jack!)

They were tourists,from where I don't remember,we were playing in a hotel.

[DeltaSierra]

People have also not realized that Idaho is a state...and WHY do they have to make such stupid jokes about the name? Yeah, yeah, I get it "I da ho." It's not clever anymore.

My Government 101 teacher got to shock people in...somewhere in Florida, maybe? when he mentioned that only fairly recently was a law passed that high school students couldn't take hunting rifles to school. You know, have it in the back of your pickup and go hunting after school...

We live in a cave, I'm sorry. *hangs head*

That brought back memories - in the Fall, a lot of my friends would bring their trucks complete with shotgun/rifle racks in the back, to high school, prepared to head off to do some hunting as soon as classes let out for the dayl!!! Nobody batted an eye.

[Kristev]

No, most Idahoans just act like they live in a cave. But then, financially, I am forced to reside there. Not happy about it, though.