“THEY ARE LISTENING”
Originally Published the Week of May 18, 2011 in Western Outdoor News
I am a terrible eavesdropper. I can’t help it. Especially here in Mexico when I am usually immersed in Spanish around me, my radar cannot help but pick up on English when it drifts through my zone.
A word here…a word there…it’s not easy to tune it out. But it’s interesting what you pick up. Restaurants are good place. Airplanes are another good spot. Usually confined spaces where it’s hard to miss certain conversations. Even tho’ I try NOT to listen, Americans tend to speak loud and sometimes I think they want everyone to hear.
We can sound pretty ridiculous sometimes. Embarrassing at other times. Do we listen to ourselves and how we sound to others?
At a nice restaurant several nights ago, three slightly enebriated guys wearing the de-rigueur Tommy Bahama shirts and designer sunglasses perched on their heads were escalating their conversation.
It was bad enough that they were all talking “money deals” and how they were going to do this and that and how one guy was the “CEO of this” and “everyone does what I tell ’em to do.”
But, it wasn’t difficult to pick out that every other word was an “F” bomb. “F-ing” this and “F-ing that.” The universal adjective at it’s finest. My “F-ing yacht”. My “F-ing condo on the beach.” What an “F-ing great fishing day!”
Whoa. Most of the patrons, many of whom were locals, in the restaurant were there for a nice quiet dinner at the marina and knew what they were saying and it got uncomfortable. It was embarrassing for my wife and myself. Many people migrated away. The three gringos kept right on smoking the big cigars and downing the brews.
We moved to another table.
A gringo couple was close by. Again, hard not to hear the conversation. The woman was speaking quite loudly as she asked the water, ” We love the service here at this restaurant. So why do YOU people make such good waiters and house cleaners?”
My wife and I stopped with our forks in mid-air. Choke. Gaaack!
She was serious and said it with a smile on her face, as she sipped her white wine with her manicured fingernails and gold wrist bling. She was just trying to make conversation with the waiter who happens to be a good friend of ours.
We cringed.
The husband said non-sequitur and oblivious to his wife’s previous statement, “If YOU people would just get more education, you can really move up in the world like us.”
Double cringe. The waiter just professionally gave a laugh and walked away as if he had to attend another table. I mean…how do you answer that?
As he walked away he looked at us and rolled his eyes and raised an eyebrow.
On the other side of the restaurant, we could still her the “F bombs” by the three men. It continued to be an uncomfortable dinner.
Then a group of two families with kids and nannys in tow entered. Kids as loud as parents. Running around the tables. Saying what they wanted. Called their parents by their first names. Nannys doing their best. Restaurant staff trying to keep everyone happy.
Again…couldn’t help but eavesdrop…they were loud enough…
“We just LOVE La Paz because it’s just NOT like Cabo or Mazatlan where there’s so much noise and traffic and so “gringo-fied.'”
“Got 18 holes to play tomorrow.”
“Glad we finally got Wi-fi. But the signal is so bad here in Mexico. You would think…”
“I can’t believe this place doesn’t have diet de-caf Pepsi, but I did find the best little coffee place that has double latte mocha!”
“When is your hair appointment? I have a pedicure at 9 a.m. then aromatherapy at 10.”
“This restaurant has the BEST chile rellenos stuffed with shrimp cooked by REAL Mexican cooks. Look you can even see them back there in the kitchen!”
“Next time, let’s rent a Hummer so we can don’t feel all those bumps in the roads here. Why don’t THESE people fix the roads? You would think they would get tired of bumpy roads and broken cement.”
“Still can’t get an electricion to fix that light in the jacuzzi. I hate this “manana” atittude here. Must be someone like the Better Business Bureau we can complain to.”
Sometimes I wish there was someone we could complain to. I admit that even I probably sound like this as well at times. I try not to. We keep reminding ourselves that we’re guests here in Mexico. Whether we live here or are just visiting. People are listening. We represent down here and our ears sometimes don’t hear what our mouths are saying.
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Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column in Western Outdoor News since 2004. Along with his wife, Jill, they own and run the Tailhunter International Fishing Fleet in La Paz, Baja, Mexico www.tailhunter-international.com. They also run their Tailhunter Restaurant Bar on the famous La Paz malecon waterfront. If you’d like to contact him directly, his e-mail is riplipboy@tailhunter-international.com or drop by the restaurant to say hi!
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