I’m on the M5 to get to the GWB station, where I’ll catch a jitney to my boyfriend’s town. Once the bus turns east on 135th, the new passengers boarding are mostly Spanish-speaking.
An older woman directly front of me, in an aisle-facing seat, turns to her left and starts talking to someone in Spanish. At first I don’t realize I’m her focus. When she realizes this, she smiles and says, in English with a heavy Spanish accent, “English or Spanish?”
I hate having to say “English.” I could get by with Spanish, but I’d feel like such an imposter.
* * *
The jitney bounces and rattles across the George Washington Bridge, transporting its load of happily chattering Spanish-speakers, mostly moms and kids, and one semi-Spanish-speaker (here I raise my hand) to various points in New Jersey. Someone’s playing music, not just aloud but loudly, from what I’m sure is a 1980s-style “boom box”. I don’t turn around to look, because I don’t want its owner to think I’m doing so as a tacit reprimand to turn it off. I don’t want it off. I want it on and loud and spirited. Esto es una aventura, just the way I want it.
fresh-baked at 11:50 PMFirst time I've seen the word "jitney." I assume it means some sort of shuttle bus, or regular bus. I will now have to look it up, and maybe use it someday against you in a game of Scrabulous.
Offered by: lattegirl on May 13, 2008 10:39 AMI don't understand why you would be embarrassed? Are you embarrassed to say "English" because you don't speak Spanish well enough to converse with her for your enjoyment or because you feel you should speak Spanish because everybody else is speaking Spanish on this American bus? You're in the United States so you should speak English. Neither my German mother nor my Polish father would expect to speak anything but English on a public bus in the US. And I'll bet that woman, with her heavy Spanish accent, was born right here in the US.
Offered by: Mrs. Z on May 12, 2008 1:09 PMThis is my new favourite BISS entry.
Offered by: Brad on May 12, 2008 1:04 AM
