On Saturday, Andrew promised to take me out to dinner because I helped him so much on his poster project, so we decided to go out last night to one of our favorite Mexican restaurants. There are two in SLC so we went to the old one that is on State and about 396 East. They have pretty authentic food and one of my favorite perks is the Mexican soap operahs playing in the background. Well.... we learned another perk last night. We had just sat down and I noticed an old Mexican lady eyeing me from the corner. I couldn't help but look back because she was giving me quite the crusty look. Finally she came over and pulled out three little plastic bags with earings in them. She starts spouting off something in Spanish which I couldn't understand but I could tell that she wanted me to buy something. Instantly it was like I was back in New Mexico. I looked at the earings, very gold very flashy earings and a really weird gold elephant charm. I tried to say "no thank you" but she couldn't understand me and kept shoving them in my face. The only thing I understood was nueve in her spanish. I said "nine?" she says "si Si Si" I said no no no (believe me they were not worth 9 dollars) so she kept saying nueve nueve nueve. Finally she started saying "nueve zero." I said no how about "cinco?" She mumbled "no" and walked off. I was watching her and she went and grabbed a napkin and a pen and came right back. She wrote down a 7. and then a zero really small. She seemed confused as to what she was trying to do. Anyways to make a long story short Andrew agreed to pay 7 dollars to buy me a pair of earings, and to help her out and more importantly to make her go away. :) so he got out his wallet and pulled out 7 one dollar bills. She looks at it and she says "no no no siete zero!" Instantly Andrew and I said "NO WAY!" She wanted 70 dollars for a pair of gold loop earings. We laughed and said "no no no" Trying to be polite. Well... by this time the entire area of booths and tables could see what was going on and they were all laughing at the fact that this lady wanted me to buy her earings for first 90 dollars and then lowered her price to 70. This one lady behind her was shaking her head and saying "oh my gosh!" The lady got all miffed and marched off but I soon saw her at another table trying to do the same to another couple. Oh dear! The food was great and we even got some free salsa from our server. I love little experiences like that. People in New Mexico would do that all of the time but none were so persistent as her!
Guatemala
10 years ago
7 comments:
I prefer the Mi Ranchito down here. I think there is one on the west side too. On the way to the J.R. temple.?
Are you kidding me. I would have complained and said that she is disturbing our meal. I guess that is easier said than done. Did she work there or what? Or maybe a family member of one of the employess. I would have prefered the guy who comes around and sings.
I am really surprised that they let her wander around selling her jewelry. That seems like it could be bad for business if the patrons were so irritated that they might not come back for fear of getting hit on. Oh well, at least the food was good. I like Mi ranchitos.
Wow! Its crazy that the restaurant manager would allow that to go on! I've only had that happen in Mexico. A lady did a dance with a beer bottle on her head and then stood and each table with a basket. She refused to leave until she had received a tip! Anyway, at least its a funny story you can laugh about - and the food was good!
I was laughing so hard reading your post! I can't believe she was that persistent--and for $70!!! Wow! I wonder if anyone has actually bought anything from her??? I would have had a hard time not laughing in her face! :)
She was talking freely with all of the waiters and waitresses so either she was a member of the family or a friend that comes for business. I can't imagine that she gets much business though. 90 dollars for a pair of earings!?!?!
CRAZY!
First off I bet she knew some enlish, but that is sometimes how they sell stuff is by trying to make frustrated enough with the language problem that you would just buy it. It is kind of a dumb thing to be asking for that kind of money anyway by going from person to person in a restaurant.
It is a funny story and I agree that it is always fun to have those kind of experiences.
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