On one of my frequent trips to McDonald's, my son and his friends just wanted fries. I went to the drive thru.
"Welcome to McDonald's. Would you like to try one of our combos today?"
"No, thank you. Two Super-Sized fries, please," I said.
"And would you like fries with that?" pat came the reply.
"No, thank you," I said, smiling to myself. "I don't think I need fries with my fries."
"That will be 6.89, next window please." I don't think he realized what he said. It's almost like human automation. I remembered my first independent trip to McDonald's about 20 years ago, when I had just arrived in the US from India........
A polite teenager took my order that day. He could see that I was nervous.
"Five piece chicken nuggets, plain hamburger with a medium coke please," I said quickly.
"4'ereor2go?" He said, and looked at me.
I had no clue what he asked me. I was too embarrassed to admit that I didn't understand him.
"Thank you," I replied and gave him a big smile.
"4'ereor2go?" He rattled off again, shaking his head. He spoke even faster this time. I still didn't get it.
"No problem," I replied, with an even bigger smile. Maybe they were required to speak fast at fast food joints. What in the heck was he saying?
Anyway, we sorted that one out after a few minutes when I realized he was asking me "For here or to go?"!!
I've come a long way since then. You know, the journey from "shedool" to "schedule" is a short one, but can be embarrassing at times. And I've had my share. It's a learning process, a phase of adjustment to a different culture. Like when I was invited for a "Barbecue Luncheon" by my boss during my Residency training. I failed to notice the fine print at the bottom, which said: "Attire -- Casual." The word that stuck in my brain was "Luncheon." So I showed up in a three piece suit, neck-tie & all. And over there, I saw everybody wearing shorts! Some people had a T-shirt on.
"I have to go to a marriage from here," I lied to my host, trying to explain the abundance of clothes I had on.
"Marriage? You mean Wedding," he said.
"Yes," I said. "I've to go to a Wedding."
That's another thing I learnt that day. In India, you go to a "Marriage", here its a "Wedding!"
So you adjust to a new place with a smile, learn the nuances and try to fit in. But a credit to people here, they laugh with you and not at you.
I know now, when my daughter says someone is "Cool," that person is everything but cold. And when my teenage son says someone is "Hot," he's really not talking about body temperature!
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