This was weird, right?

[Grumpasaurus]

So I am walking up my road the other day, almost at my front door. This lady is walking towards me, and asks me to stop for a minute, which I did. The conversation goes as follows:

Her: are you Portuguese?

Me: no, Canadian (thinking, I am blond and so pale I am almost transparent and have a thick Canadian accent)...

Her: oh (silence). Do you have family in Portugal?

Me: no.

Her: I have family in Portugal but I grew up in America. I am still half Portuguese though.

Me: oh.

Her: so when did you visit Portugal?

Me: never been.

Her: but last year, when you hung your laundry up in the garden, I noticed you had a tea towel from Portugal.

Me: nope I have never been. (panicking slightly- I had never seen this lady before yet she seemed certain she knew me AND my laundry!)

Her: that tea towel is definitely from Portugal, I recognize the cockerel on it.

Me: maybe! Maybe some friends gave it to us, I don't remember where I got it.

Her: you got it in Portugal.

Me: I have never been to Portugal

Her: launches into a five minute tirade about how I should go and that I really should learn how to speak the language.

Me: alright then, see you later (secretly hoping not to ever see her again and considering buying some sort of private-fence system)!

Weird, non?

Thanks cumbercookie! I was civil! I even told her I would think about learning the language (that was a lie, I already speak Spanish and am easily confused!), that Portugal was high on my list of to visit (true- it looks stunning), and that it was nice to meet her (it wasn't).

She wandered off happily enough!

Oh yes grump I remember you well! You had the desk next to Wilma didn't you? Happy days. I wonder what Mr Keldrick the big boss, is up to now?

Etc etc. I've totally mastered making it all up now. I almost believe it myself.

I'm not a lumberjack or a fur trader.
I don't live in an igloo or eat blubber or own a dog sled.
And I don't know Jimmy, Sally or Suzy from Canada, although I'm certain they're really, really nice.
I have a prime minister, not a president.
I speak English and French, not American.
And I pronounce it about, not aboot.
I can proudly sew my country's flag on my backpack.
I believe in peacekeeping, not policing.
Diversity, not assimilation.
And that the beaver is a truly proud and noble animal.
A toque is a hat, a chesterfield is a couch.
And it is pronounced zed, not zee, zed.
Canada is the second largest landmass, the first nation of hockey and the best part of North America.
My name is Grumpasaurus, and I am Canadian

opal id be pleased with your DH, south African accent is the most sexy thing I have ever heard! !

Sorry but a South African accent always reminds me of this:

m.youtube.com/watch?v=aeDk6ZeGNnU

This reminded me of many (many, many!) years ago when I was in high school and working in a store in Australia. A woman came in and started talking at me in her native language. I apologised and said I did not understand. She did it again. I apologised again and said I did not understand. She then said, with a perfect Australian accent "don't you speak cantonese? Well you bloody well should" and walked out.

I'm still scratching my head about that one.

I'd ask for this thread to be removed. You could easily be identified in RL now by your tea towel.