So I'm here in Aruba on business at the local refinery. As soon as I walked into the gate I flashed back to the 30 year stint that I worked in a chemical plant outside Alvin (Monsanto, now called Solutia). Walked into the Adminstration Bldg. where all the senior management people work and I could feel the politics of the place crawling up my spine...yada, yada, yada (more on first days here in a later post). That was Monday...today is Saturday.
I'm going to be here for 3 weeks and then I'll go home for a while and come back in April for a LONG run.
But this post is about my American moment in a crowded local grocery store. It's Carnaval time and the the streets are jammed with parades, people, revellers, etc. Has been for 2 days.
It occurred to me that with all the Carnaval activities in town, that getting anywhere is a chore. So this morning I go to the grocery store to get some food to cook [I'm having squid sticks tonight...you know, like fish sticks] so I can hunker down. When I checked out, a boy bagged my groceries and put them in my cart. While I was paying the check, a different kid grabs my groceries and starts walking to the door. Since I don't know how to say "HEY MOTHERF%^&#ER!!!" in popumento [the local language] I said something like "THAT'S MINE!!" [loudly]. The boy stops and looks at me and says, "yes sir...where is your car?"
D-OH!!! Half the people in the store started laughing...and it was crowded. I wanted to grab another bag and put it over my head. [at least I tipped the kid 10 florin ($5.17 USD it appears)].
...my American moment.
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where did you get that picture!
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