...This tale will also explain me...and why I was the 'Cage Queen' at Scagnar...and why I got into very bad trouble at other sites.
I am like my mother, and really can't keep my big mouth shut at times...
My mother grew up in a very impoverished place, and lived in a small adobe house in Texas, right on the Mexico border. She had six brothers, and they were all bilingual...her mother and Aunts only spoke Spanish...but they were on the US side of the Rio Grande...so the schools were taught in English...it was different back then...they told all of the children that they needed to speak English in order to adapt and succeed in the USA.
But, of course, they spoke Spanish at home.
One of my Great Aunts had a good sense of humor...when someone was upset, and yelling about something...she would look at the person with an innocent expression, and slowly say..."Pero como?...with her voice rising on the last part.
Those words translate to "But why?"...but it is accepted as saying..."Oh, really?" My mother picked it up...and would use it.
Once, one of her brothers was REALLY UPSET...and she stood in front of him...and gave him her best innocent look...and he just started shouting..."DON'T SAY THAT...DON'T SAY THAT...DON'T SAY THAT!!!!"
And he ran off...
I was once arguing a motion, in Court, and the opposing attorney was Hispanic...and he was getting very angry...I HAD him NAILED TO THE WALL...but he gave a VERY impassioned closing argument. The Judge looked at me...and said..."Counselor?" I looked at the opposing attorney...and slowly said..."Pero como?"...and sat down...and the attorney BLEW UP...CUSSING ME OUT IN SPANISH...
The Judge hauled us both to his Chambers...yelled at us...and sanctioned me $150. I went to the clerks office...and wrote out the check...but I was laughing as I walked back to my office...it was REALLY WORTH IT!!!...
...And...the Judge did rule in my favor...
