Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeLifeLanguage barrier a sticky business

Language barrier a sticky business

Bob was working in Bangkok in Thailand when a visitor from America told him how much he had enjoyed the sticky rice he’d eaten in the factory canteen at lunch-time.

“The next morning, when he came to work, he told us he’d been to a Foodland to order sticky rice,” Bob says.

“The girl didn’t understand what he wanted, so she called her colleague to help.

“‘No problem,’ said the colleague and she went away.

“She returned and handed him a pencil and said, ‘This is a stick that writes.’”


Licensed to thrill
Derek recently told us his story about getting his driver’s licence in the 1970s and how he simply drove his local policeman down the road to a milk bar to buy some cigarettes then drove him back to the station.

Some of you got a bit indignant because apparently it wasn’t this easy for you.

We even heard from one chap who described Derek’s version of events as ‘rot’.

“I was a driving instructor in the 60s and early 70s and it was a full test,” he said.

But Chrissie’s story was similar to Derek’s.

“I received my licence in June 1960. I was 21 and had just arrived as a ten-pound Pom with no English licence as we didn’t have a car.

“It was in South Australia, and on a visit to the local police station I was required to pick up a list of 20 questions. Back the next day and I answered 18 correctly and that was it. No practical driving test at all was required. They issued a licence on the spot.”

 

One that got away
Alf was fishing off the pier at San Remo recently when the wind blew the lid off his foam Esky into the water two or three metres below.

“The current was running strongly, as it usually does, and my lid was floating away quickly.

“I cast my rod in hopeful anticipation of somehow hooking into the foam.

“The lure travelled over the lid and as I wound it back in, it managed to hook the lid which, by now, was about 30 metres away. What a cast.

“I gently hauled it in, but as it came up from the water to the pier, just out of reach, it dropped off again.

“I tried snagging it again, but no luck. Story of my fishing life, really.”

 

Fishing for space?
Andrew has a fishing boat, which he hardly ever uses.

“My wife says it’s a waste of money and is always nagging me to use it and go fishing.

“I wonder how many men get nagged by their wives to go fishing?”

 

Hard to get good help
Terry was coaching a junior football team and, as junior clubs are always doing, volunteers were sought to be his team manager.

“A mother called Robyn was the only person to step forward. She admitted she didn’t know much about football, but she was keen.

“We picked the team on the Thursday night for the first game and she said she’d post it on the players’ Facebook page.

“I had to give her the team over the phone and she wrote it down.

“When she posted it, there was something unusual about the lineup. Instead of the ‘half forward-flank’, she had written ‘hard board plank’. She’d misheard me.

“It was a long season.”

 

Men at work
Since 2001 in theUS, the first Thursday in November has been national Men Make Dinner Day.

The man in the house must buy the food, cook the food, and clean up the mess.

Alicehopes the concept doesn’t reach our shores.

“I’ve eaten my husband’s cooking. Never again.

“He thinks he can barbecue, but he’s not much good at that, either.”

 

If you’re a male and you cook, pass us your go-to recipe and we’ll share it with everybody. Best recipe will win a signed copy of the In Black and White II book.

Send us …
Do you have a story, anecdote, memory or photo to share with other YourLifeChoices members? Do you know someone with a milestone birthday or anniversary coming up? Email steve@yourlifechoices.com.au.

 

Related articles:
Licence was a one-stop process
How to play the discount game
Walk on the wild side

YourLifeChoices Writers
YourLifeChoices Writershttp://www.yourlifechoices.com.au/
YourLifeChoices' team of writers specialise in content that helps Australian over-50s make better decisions about wealth, health, travel and life. It's all in the name. For 22 years, we've been helping older Australians live their best lives.
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