Snapshots without Camera - Do They Have a Language, These Romanians?

The Martini Club
of
Lost Snapshots





Intru sa mananc intr-un restaurant turcesc din Bethesda. Merg des sambata acolo, au mancare foarte buna si nu e prea scump.
Cum nu sunt locuri libere la mese, ma asez la bar. Comand un Seafood Chowder (pentru el am venit de fapt) si niste chiftele (care la turci inseamna de fapt bucati subtiri de carne la gratar).
Langa mine se aseaza o doamna foarte in varsta, care intra imediat in vorba.
- S-a facut frumos, nu-i asa?
- Da, Doamna, s-a facut frumos. A plouat toata ziua, dar acum e frumos.
- Ce ziceti, restaurantul asta e bun?
- Eu zic ca da. E destul de bun. Eu vin aici de fapt pentru mancarea turceasca - mancarurile lor seamana mult cu mancarurile din tara mea.
- Dar din ce tara sunteti?
- Romania.
- Locuiti in Romania?
- Ei, nu, mi-ar fi cam dificil sa vin la resaurantul asta in fiecare sambata. Dar am locuit acolo.
- Si sunteti nascut in Romania?
- Nu, e mai complicat. Sunt nascut in Franta, dar am trait in Romania. Sunt roman.
- Si vorbiti franceza?
- Da, destul de bine.
- Vorbiti si ... .... ... cum sa zic? Domnule, vorbiti si ... asta ... au romanii astia limba lor?

I am in a Turkish retaurant in Bethesda, near DC. I come often there, for their Seafood Chowder. As there are no free tables, I take a place at the bar. An old lady is sitting near me and starts the conversation:

- Nice weather this evening.
- Yes, Madam, it's nice. It rained all day, now it's nice.
- Is this a good restaurant?
- I think so. It's okay. I come here mostly for their cuisine. Turkish cuisine is pretty close to the one of my country.
- Where are you from?
- Romania.
- Romania?
- Yes, Romania, what's the big deal?
- Do you live in Romania?
- No, it would have been kind of difficult to come to this place on Saturdays, to have the Seafood Chowder. I'm now living here, I used to live in Romania.
- Were you born in Romania?
- Well, no, it's a bit complicated. I was born in France, only I lived most of my life in Romania.
- Do you speak French?
- Yes, quite well, I think.
- And do you speak also .... ..... .... do they have a language, these Romanians?

HUGE LAUGH (from me).

- Madam, it's the creaziest thing I've ever heard. Thank you, you made my day. Yeeeeees, we have a language.
- Excuse me, you know, I speak only English.

She went on:
- Say me something in Romanian. For instance, what day we are?
- Pai pe douazeci si patru.
- It sounds so funny.
- Well, for me English sounds funny, matter of perspective.
- You are right. Sorry to know nothing about your language, I am an old lady, I am 83.
- That's fine, don't worry.

Cred ca doamna aceasta a aflat intr-un sfert de ora foarte multe despre Romania. A aflat ca oamenii de acolo sunt veseli, buni la suflet, prietenosi.