Things We Said Today

I bought a newspaper and a pack of ciggies. I asked a young lady at the information desk 'Scuse me, d'ya know where can I smoke in this airport? in my nearly perfect RP. She told me I could go to the first floor. Then she looked at me and frowned. I didn't understand why. Then it clicked me in. This chick must have wondered why a guy carrying a spanish newspaper insisted in speaking English.

She can estimate herself lucky that I didn't fancy to talk catalan to her. I'll try next time, see what happens.

That reminds me of the previous time I visited Spain. When I got to the Customs area, a policeman stopped me and asked to see my passport. I gave it to him. He looked at it as if he had never seen one before. He swallowed, checked out my nationality and my current address and said: Well, look at that: a Swiss Spaniard! Unfortunately, I didn't have the guts to tell him that I was Spanish only because I was obliged to, because I had never been given the choice, and that I would gladly resign if I only knew how to do it.

As I know these Spanish guys, I'm pretty sure I would have ended up in jail -had I told this policeman what I really thought. Gee, they cannot understand that being Spanish is not necessarily the greatest thing on earth -specially if you are one because your country was invaded by them a few centuries ago.

Whatever.

Oh, I also made an interesting acquaintance at the airport. I may tell you more one of these days.