Last night I ran into a guy in line at Starbucks. I stood at
the counter waiting for a barista to appear and this guy walked up from
somewhere in the back, perhaps the men’s room.
Here’s what he looked like: white guy about 30, average height and
build. Short black hair, light
complexion. Clean shaven, dressed casual
but neat. Black sweater, gray jeans,
black loafers. I was in my police uniform
and as I glanced at him he saw fit to make conversation.
“Is it busy for you?
When it’s rains?” he smiled and asked. Definite accent of some kind. I was in the heart of the tourist area so I
assumed he was visiting Orlando. I said, “No, not busy.” He then began to explain why he asked. Evidently, some time earlier, he had observed
something involving a guy in a car stopped in the middle of the road, with its
lights off, blocking traffic. The thing
is, it took the guy about two solid minutes to describe what he had seen (and he
never got to the part of why he had been fascinated). As it turned out he had a French accent, and
his English was especially weak. And he stuttered. It was like this:
I saw……………….a car with a………MAN!…………………………………………………………..and
he was parked………………………………………………………………………………………………….in THE STREET!…………………(he struggled
to help the words escape)………………………………………with the………………………………………………………………………lights
off and he was like….(leans back
describing the driver reclined in his seat waiting for a tow truck maybe?)…………………leaning
back in the ……………….CAR!……..
That’s when the barista arrived. I focused on the French guy, and the barista
girl made sure not to interrupt while adjusting the money in the tip jar.
He continued painfully (for me, anyway) to describe the guy
in the car in the middle of the road in the rain. During an extended pause, I took the
opportunity to order my coffee. “Tallblack!” I ordered, as quickly as I
could. She said ok and walked away.
Then I interrupted. “That’s
crazy. No-it’s-not-really-busy-in-the-rain,”
I enunciated. “The-rain-makes-it-slow.” Frenchie looked at me and cocked his head, not
understanding. I continued, “But-the-NBA-this-weekend? Wow, now-THAT-was-busy!”
He smiled and nodded.
“Oh yes the………………………NBA! The……………………………….
basket……….ball. Yes.”
Coffee up. I grabbed
a stopper, inserted it and told the guy it was nice to meet him. He agreed and I left.
So there you have it.
You’ve wondered if one stutters in multiple languages and the answer is,
I think so!
