Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Are you English?

I was out for a walk today, taking a break from the mischief and mayhem I call writing, and my first time around the loop I smiled and said hello to an older couple walking toward me.  A woman, on the higher end of middle-aged, and a man, older than she; they said hello back.

Saw them again my second time around the loop, and shot a friendly smile their way.  The woman approached me.  "Excuse me," she called, "may I ask you a question?"  I nod and she approaches me.  "Are you English?", she asks in a clearly British accent.

"English?" I ask.  "I'm American, actually."

"Oh!  We thought you may have been English.  Americans never stop to say hello or hi."

I stared at her incredulously.  "Really?  I didn't know that."  Where I'm from, everyone says hi; I'm from a stereotypically "nice" state.

"Well, we were just wondering," she said, smiling.  "Thank you for the hello!"

I grinned.  "You're welcome--it was nice to say hi!  Enjoy your walk!"

I spent the rest of my walk smiling about it.  I'm delighted to have unintentionally fooled anyone into thinking I was British, and I'm also grateful for the Easter egg.  There I was, walking and contemplating my British character, and what do I happen upon but two accents in the middle of the park?  Love it.