Oh, college! - NY the bilingual city: Act I, in which I still don't speak Spanish

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NY the bilingual city: Act I, in which I still don’t speak Spanish

guy in elevator: Hola

me: Hi

GIE: como estas?

me: urmmm…muy bien, gracias, y tu?

GIE: (something in Spanish I don’t understand)

me: heh…

A beat.

GIE: Something else in Spanish I don’t understand with intonation that suggests he is trying to start a conversation.

Me: Oh, umm, lo siento, no habla espanol.

GIE: (shakes head; then, in perfect English:) So are you new here?

Me: (Ashamed by ignorance.)