October 10, 2008

Getting Picked on is Universal

I went to the house yesterday to drop off all my bathroom mirrors. There were three guys there installing my hardwood floors when I arrived. Because it was in the morning, I was thinking that they wouldn’t have much of it done. They told me it was a two day job, so I didn’t bother to take a look before getting to the business of carrying my mirrors inside.

As I walked the first mirror in and went up the back staircase, it blocked my view of the dining room and foyer. After dropping off the first mirror, I headed back down and was greeted with this view.

"Woo hoo!" I yelled, "That looks awesome!" They guys smiled at me and kept working. Whenever I’ve been around them, they are always talking in Italian. I so wish I could speak that language. You just know they’re discussing your butt or the large zit on your forehead (or in my case the mosquito bites, I swear).

I had five mirrors to bring in and I had to bring them one at a time. They are seriously heavy. As I was bringing in the 4th mirror, I heard one of the guys saying with his Italian accent, "Woo hoo, that looks awesome." He kept repeating it at regular intervals and the other two guys were laughing each time. They clearly thought I had left.

I quietly continued taking my mirrors to the bathrooms and when I turned the corner, I almost ran right into one of the guys. With a bewildered look on his face, he started speaking Italian to the other guys. I can pretty much bet he was saying, "Oh crap, she’s still here! Shut-up!"

I smirked at him and said, "You know, you may be speaking Italian, but being picked on is a universal language. I totally get that you’re making fun of me. I’m a teacher. Nothing gets by a teacher." The guys were congregating around me as I gave my little speech and they all started cracking up laughing as they realized they were clearly busted.

I then told them they should be happy I’m so excited, because it means I think they’re doing a good job. The one guy was laughing so hard during the lecture that he could barely breath. Finally, he stopped laughing just long enough to apologize. "No apology is necessary," I told him. "Just keep up the good work!"

They certainly did do a great job. They finished the entire job in just one day and it looks beautiful.