The other day, as I was treating my friends Sara and Helen to a caffè completo (yes, I am obsessed, what of it?), an older man looked at me and at my hat on the bar.
“Is that your hat?” he asks me.
“Yep.”
“Well, signorina, that’s a man’s hat.”
Me: “I know.”
Him: oddly smiling “So why do you have it?”
Me: “Because I like it.”
Him: “Where are you from?”
Me: “I’m American.”
Him: “So, do you know anything about the United States?”
Me: oddly smiling “Well, I do come from there.”
Him: CAPITAL OF CALIFORNIA!!!!
Sara eagerly jumps in to my rescue: Sacramento!
Him: CAPITAL OF WISCONSIN!!!!
And so on, literally for about 25 different states.
What the heck, man?
Sara then proceeded to quiz him on the regions of Italy. It was this whole surreal 8th grade geography moment. I just thought I’d share. Like, to tell you, brush up on your state capitals if you go to get a caffè completo. I don’t know if you’ll run into this guy, but if you do, I just want you to be ready. That’s all.
L’altro giorno, mentre offrivo alle mie amiche Sara e Helen un caffè completo (sì, sono ossessionata, emmbè??), un uomo anziano mi ha guardato e ha guardato il mio cappello che avevo appoggiato sul banco.
“Il cappello è suo?” mi chiede.
“Sì.”
“Ma è un cappello da uomo.”
“E già.”
Lui: sorridendo “E allora perchè lo mette?”
Io: “Perchè mi piace.”
Lui: “Di dove sei?”
Io: “Sono americana.”
Lui: “Sai qualcosa degli Stati Uniti?”
Io: sorridendo “Vabbè, vengo da lì.”
Lui: CAPITALE DI CALIFORNIA!!!!!
Sara: Sacramento!
Him: CAPITALE DI WISCONSIN!!!!
E via dicendo, per tipo ben 25 stati.
AHO’! Volevo solo prendermi un semplice caffè, non tornare alla geografia della terza media!
Sara poi gli ha fatto un’esame sulle regioni d’Italia, che alla fine ha dovuto rispondere lei a tutte. Perchè vi racconto questo? In realtà non lo so. Perchè è stata una cosa surreale. Perchè voglio avvertirvi. Perchè che ne so, può essere che pure voi dovrete subire un’inquisizione mentre bevete il vostro caffè. O forse ‘ste cose succedono solo a me.
Comunque, il capitale di Wisconsin è Madison, in caso dovesse servire.
Ha, I didn’t even notice you take this picture – I must have been seriously concentrating on the questions.
And just a clarification – I *tried* to quiz him on the Italian regions, and he ends up quizzing me!
Sara 2 – Old Man 0
Exactly! That guy totally ripped you off, man! You were a champ. And still, no prize or anything. ‘NA SOLA PAZZESCA!!!!!
I forgot to clarify that in the English version! In the Italian I got it though… “che poi alla fine lei ha dovuto rispondere a tutte” — che fregatura!
Is the caffè completo anything like a marocchino?
I can’t remember the capital of California! What a funny encounter!
ok this is hilarious!!! totally just played out that entire scene in my head…plus that pic of him and sara is SO perfect!
I know, isn’t it totally the best? She is such a spitfire, I love that girl. She was so on top of it when he came out of nowhere with his little improv super quiz. I was like, whaaaa and there’s Sara, whipping out all the capitals. She makes me look so smart.