Sunday, July 2, 2006

Didn't anyone ever teach you manners?


"Didn't anyone ever teach you manners?" was the question someone asked me one day. Then it dawned on me... I don't think anyone ever did.

My father. When we're at the dinner table and he wants me to get him another Corona, he has never said to me "Reyna, can you please get me another beer?" He simply points at his empty beer bottle and I know what to do, or he says "Reyna. Cheve." (cheve = a word that is short for beer in spanish)

My mother. I don't think I've heard her ask me politely to clean my room, the living room, the dining roo, the kitchen, or wash the dishes. It's always "Reyna, what are you gonna make of yourself in your future? Are you gonna live in filth? *gives me a dirty look* Clean your room!"

Salvador. "Don't be a foo!" Okay, that's all he ever tells me. Lmao.

Nereida. She doesn't even call me Reyna. "Girl... go buy me something from Jack's." Never "Reyna, can you please go buy me something from Jack in the Box?"

Daniel. Every day before dinner he tells me "Go get the beverages and cups with ice" (for some reason we call them 'beverages' instead of 'sodas'...). It's never "Reyna, can you please get me a bevarage too..? I'll get the cups" and he'll usually say something like Nery like "Here. Go buy me something from Jack." Or when he wants to use the computer and I'm using it he says "Lemme use the 'puter... get out" Never "Can I please use the computer now?"

I'll probably add more examples when I think of them...