Also at Starbucks...

The Starbucks I usually go to is connected to a Barnes and Noble. Last night after studying, I decided to take a few minutes to stroll around the store and clear my mind looking at books, such as everybody's childhood favorite (that I somehow missed out on) Where The Wild Things Are.

Upon re-entering Starbucks, a short, round, grey-haired man in a yamaka was teaching the barista Spanish by saying things like "fat" and "ugly", pointing to himself.

He was speaking Spanish! How could I possibly resist the urge to talk to him??

Well I couldn't, so I did talk to him. :)

It turns out he's from Argentina, and a Rabbi. He made me laugh incessantly and asked me, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" ("Que quieres ser cuando seas grande?"), something nobody has asked me since I was a kid.

I told him that I'm a Christian and he said that when he gets back from his trip (he was on his way to the airport at that moment) we should meet for a cup of coffee and talk about spiritual things.

Before leaving we traded phone numbers and he asked what he should save as my last name.

"Gorda? No no no, no puede ser"
"Fat? No no no, that can't be."
"Flaca? No no, eso tampoco esta bien"
"Skinny? No no, that's not right either."
"Te dije que soy bueno? Porque si te lo dije, fue mentira."
"Did I tell you that I'm good? Because if I did, it was a lie."

If he weren't an Argentinian Rabbi, I might have had to slap the man! But Argentines have a way of making you laugh no matter what they say. It's impossible to stay mad an Argentine because he'll make you laugh so much you forgot why you were mad in the first place.

And of course, you can't slap a Rabbi. That would just be wrong.