I have two modes when it comes to making it to the airport for a flight. I am either extremely early or barely make it. The other weekend I happened to be extremely early.
Husband and I went to our usual Gatwick pub for a pre-flight beverage and sub-standard reheated frozen snack. I approached the counter and made my order. The bartender squinted. “Um, can I see some I.D?”
The legal drinking age in the UK is 18. I am no longer anywhere near 18. I call bullshit on anyone who wants to tell me I look younger than 18. Nonetheless, I’ll take this as a compliment. I know bartenders in the UK are trained to I.D. anyone who doesn’t look 25. I like to believe that I can pass for 25.
I go to retrieve my passport and make it back to the counter. “Ah, American” he says when he sees it. “You know, I love some American accents. Some of them are really nice. Yours is really nice.”
“Thank you,” I reply. This is a nice surprise. I usually get told that American accents sound like a British person with a mouth full of bubble gum.
He feels the need to go on. He’s compensating with friendliness for having asked for I.D. “Some of them are really bad. Like Texas accents. I hate Texas accents. They are awful.”
I thank him again as I grab my beer.
“Where in the U.S. are you from?” he asks.
“I’m from Texas,” I reply as I prepare to walk away.
His face goes blank and he lets out a stutter.
Awkward.
That is brilliant! Whenever we tell the Germans that we are from Texas, they all hike up their pants and mimic walking like a cowboy. Seriously. All of them. It’s weird.
haha. that is too funny. i also dislike some american accents though. like New Jersey accents. something about that accent just really bugs me. or some new york accents like Fran Drescher. like nails on a chalkboard to me.
When I was at space camp I some Canadian kids asked me in all seriousness if I rode a horse to school! My grandma did ride a mule to school. However, that was Oklahoma. Totally different.