Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Table for two, please!

El Paraguas
“They have no tables available for tomorrow.”  I inform Boss 1 after I tried to make a reservation at one of his preferred restaurants.

“Oh, what a pity.  How about Paraguas?  I always get a table at Paraguas.”

El Paraguas is one of the most prestigious restaurants in Madrid, some may say I am incorrect but it is the restaurant "to be seen in".  It has Asturian food (northern Spain) and it is where all of the politicians, businessmen, footballers and everyone else who is a somebody has eaten there or eats there on a regular basis.  I have yet to eat there despite the fact that I know the owner and her husband and I love fabada.  I have eaten at their more casual bar-restaurant the couple just opened called Ten Con Ten on Ayala, 6 and I really liked it.   

“Buenos días.  Quisiera reservar una mesa para 2 a las 14:15 para mañana.”

“Hay perdona, Señorita pero estamos completos mañana.  ¿Quiere usted que le ponga en la lista de espera?  A veces, tenemos una cancelación.”

“Sí, perfecto.”

“¿A nombre de quién?”

“Boss 1.”

“Oh, es Boss 1.  Siempre viene a comer aquí…es MUY guapo…aye, es MUY majo…vamos a hacer todo lo posible para darle mesa.  Siempre le damos mesa. ¿eres Sarah?”

“Sí, soy Sarah.”

“Aye, no reconocí tu voz.”

The entire telephone conversation made me laugh.  Her voice was oozing with ooo-laa-laaaah musicality, almost like she would have invited my boss to her bed, if she could have of.  She basically told me that they always give my boss a table, he eats there regularly and that he is very hot.  ¡Por Díos!

I have to call fancy restaurants and hotels on a daily basis to make reservations and about 80% of the time, the maitre recognizes my voice.  I used to be embarrassed about my strong accent; 10 years abroad and it is like I am fresh off the boat.

The next day, she confirmed that Boss 1 had a table, per usual.

When I used to be able to eat pizza, (I think that it is the food I miss the most) I would order a LARGE pizza every Wednesday at 20:00 when the best pizza joint in the hood opened for the evening.  Most of these Wednesdays, the gitty Brit would come over and we would drink vinitos, gorge on pizza and watch a TV series.  Here’s how the call went:

“Buenas tardes, me gustaría pedir una pizza familiar.”  Family sized pizza which is the largest is almost the same as an American large.

“¿Con la masa extra fina, extra salsa de tomate y queso?”

Luckily, you can’t be seen at the other end of the telephone because without fail and regardless of the fact that I would call every single Wednesday at 20:00, I would flush with embarrassment.  She knew exactly what I wanted to order; extra thin crust, extra tomato sauce and cheese, so much for being original.

“Sí, perfecto.”

I would give her my número de contacto and she would confirm my address as I was in their database and inform me that it would cost 12 bucks and be at my door in 20-25 minutes.

Another call I make on a weekly basis is to the Costillas.  I have been calling once a week for 1 or 2 large racks of ribs for about 5 or 6 years.  That call is one of my favorites and could be a recording because the conversation rarely varies.  I LOVE my ribs.

“HOLA!”  I try to accentuate my accent even more, if that is even possible.

“Hola Sarah!

"Me gustaría pedir dos costillas grandes para llevar y las quiero....."

"....bien hechas con las patatas fritas aparte y salsa barbacoa?” he finishes my sentence.

“Sí, perfecto.” I chuckle.

“¿Cuándo vienes a recogerlas?”

“Cuándo tú me dices.”

“¿20 minutos?”

“Perfecto, nos vemos en 20 minutos.”

So, 20 minutes after my call, I go to pick up my 2 large orders of well-done grilled pork ribs with the barbecue sauce and the fries in a separate tin container.

I used to be self-conscious about my accent until a Spanish friend insisted that it is part of who I am.  This friend also reminded me that I have such a strong personality and that I am so expressive that if I didn’t have my strong accent, then I wouldn’t be the person I am.  I have been told that no tengo pelos en la lengua, meaning I have no fear to express exactly how I feel at any given moment which sometimes makes me meter la pata more often than not (put my foot in my mouth - yum!).  I can also count on the accent for sticky situations and I confess that I often use it to lure people so I can get my way.  It is also very convenient to never have to say who is calling, the person at the other end already knows who it is and I have only said “¡Hola!” 

If you are trying to learn a new language, my advice to you is that you embrace who you are, try to do the best you can with the language and SPEAK.  Have fun!  ¡¡Meter la pata!!  I was told once by one of my professors that you should repeat exactly what you hear.  Well, for some people, like myself, I try to repeat exactly what I hear but most of the time, it comes out of my mouth in the “Sarah version.”  Try to speak in the language with whomever you can, whenever you can, watch TV, listen to the radio and music and read in that language, after all you know what they say, the only way to improve your language skills is to practice as “practice makes (most almost) perfect.”

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