Monday, 04 February 2008
Underestimating A Friend’s Mischievous Nature
By Lia of the Yum Yum Café blog
Years and years ago I used to collect stories of embarrassment and mortification from friends and family. Over a decade or two, I collected these pearls of narration. I thought I might write down some of these stories, names and places changed of course, and share them with you.
My friend, Ikky Maas, lives in London. He is a professional dancer. He is of Dutch Indonesian decent and a gentle and gorgeous person. He is also chronically unpunctual.
This story takes place in Heathrow Airport’s arrival area. He arrives late, as usual, to pick up a friend of his, who arrived nearly an hour ago from Cameron. He goes up to the arrival gate and is looking up at the screen of the flight arrivals, when, over the intercom system, a very loud and very succinct announcement is made, “Would Mickey Mouse please come to the information desk, your arrival from Cameron is waiting for you. This is an announcement for Mickey Mouse. Would you please come to the information desk.”
Everyone in the entire arrival lounge, Ikky included, bursts out laughing at the notion of Mickey Mouse walking around looking for his friend - who, Donald Duck? It takes Ikky a split-second to realise that he, Ikky Maas, is the intended Mickey Mouse. He considers waiting a while before going to the desk, but he concludes that the airport employee will probably joyously repeat the announcement any moment now.
So, off he runs over to the information desk and sure enough, there is his friend standing there with a mischievous grin on his face. Instead of greeting his friend, he furiously accuses him of instigating the embarrassing prank. He friend innocently shrugs his shoulders and says it is not his fault if the woman at the desk did not understand what he said because of his accent.
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Comments
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How funny! Did it teach Ikky to be more punctual?
I think he deserved his embarrassment.
Posted by: Darlene | Monday, 04 February 2008 at 05:52 AM
Hi Lia,
I just love your stories of embarrassing moments.
This one was particularly good.Ikky got exactly what was coming to him for his tardiness.
Posted by: Nancy | Monday, 04 February 2008 at 06:03 AM
I loved it! I wish I had been in the terminal when the announcement was made - but then I probably wouldn't have understood it. In our terminal, the announcers all seem to speak Greek....LOL
Posted by: kenju | Monday, 04 February 2008 at 07:29 AM
Darlene, no, I'm afraid that Ikky's unpunctuality was chronic and incurable.
Nancy, I got into the habit of meeting Ikky at a cafeteria in the airport instead of the arrival's hall because, at least that way, I sit down with a cup of coffee and a few magazines and wait for him to arrive.
Kenju, chalk this story up to the fine British diction. Ikky said there was no way anyone didn't understand the message. Did you see this (http://tinyurl.com/ywyc65) web site? I found it hysterical.
Posted by: lilalia | Monday, 04 February 2008 at 08:39 AM
Judy and all,
I know what you mean about the terminal announcers sounding like they are speaking Greek.
This is a true story. I was at Pennsylvania RR Station 30th St and the train announcer came on and rattled off a whole list of trains and the places they were going or coming in from. When he was finished some other RR employee got on the loudspeaker and said," You better try that again, Charlie, I understood every word you said"....
Posted by: Nancy | Monday, 04 February 2008 at 08:48 AM
Nancy, excellent!
Posted by: lilalia | Tuesday, 05 February 2008 at 06:51 AM