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Strange words
October 15, 2007

I was in the gift shop in Boise, ID at the airport looking for a USA Today for the plane ride home to Boston.  I found a Wall Street Journal (not a real newspaper since there is no Sports section) and the local rag, but not was I was seeking.  Suddenly, out of nowhere and with cat-like quiet, the checkout man came from behind the counter and pounced on me.  I caught him coming in my periferal vision (also cat-like, btw), and my guard went up immediately.

Here comes the complicated part....The man said to me in perfect English, "May I help you find something?"

I remember such words from my childhood, growing up in a small town in western Massachusetts.  Grandpa used to call it, "Customer Service."  However, that was 40+ years ago and he's dead, so I can't ask him again.  Checkout Boy was trying to help me in some way, but being from the Northeast and having not heard anything even similar to his words in a long time, I am at a loss even now for what he was trying to do.

I stood there for a while staring at him and hoping that he would reword his odd language into something more recognizable.  When he didn't, I said, "USA Today?" and he deftly pointed me in the right direction, all the while smiling (making the moment all the more uncomfortable to me).

Is there anyone out there who can help me to understand what was attempting to do?

Posted by Bill Farquharson on October 15, 2007 | Comments (1)