Native Tongue

"Misunderstanding"*

*Two American women stopping at the Hotel in
Lisbon wanted another chair in their room. The
steward who answered their ring could not
understand English.

One of the women pointed to the only chair in
the room, then tried pantomime, seating herself
in an imaginary chair.

With a knowing smile, the steward bowed and
motioned for her to follow him. At the end of
the corridor, he stopped, smiled, and bowed
again, and pointed triumphantly to the door
of the Ladies Room.

**************************************************

"Native Tongue"*

*A few years ago, I decided to visit my brother who
was stationed in Germany. I assumed that most
Germans would speak English. But I found that many
people spoke only their native tongue - including the
ticket inspector on the train. He punched my ticket,
then chatted cordially for a bit, making gestures like
a windmill. I simply nodded from time to time to show
him that I was interested.

When he had gone, an American woman soldier in
the compartment leaned forward and asked if I spoke German.

"No," I confessed.

"Then that explains," she said, "why you didn't bat an
eyelid when he told you that you were on the wrong train."
Received on Mon Aug 2 09:54:42 2010