Lost in Translation 1

Recently I was asked about the pictures from Europe that populate this site and whether I had any interesting stories about my times there. I will tell about a few of them over the next few blog entries.

 In the summer of 2008 I was teaching a class in Konstanz, Germany. I went over to give a talk at a college in London since I was already over the Atlantic. This was my first time in London and the pictures I took are fairly interesting. What the pictures don’t show was that I was thrown out of a pub in London and I still don’t forgive the Brits for this injustice.

 I walked into a pub not too far from the college where I had given the talk earlier that day. Things were going well enough as I was sitting there, minding my own business, enjoying a pint. There was this group of guys on the other end having beers and talking amongst themselves. They then proceed to say rather loudly how dissatisfied they were with George Bush, who was the president at that time. Lots of cursing and carrying on. I ignored it. After all, they weren’t talking to me and I’m not Bush. I’m just some slob having a beer.

This goes on for a while and they get closer and louder as they keep hurling insults about Americans in general and specifically about Bush. I still ignore these guys as it’s clear they are trying to provoke me. Finally, I had had enough and I made a comment about the Queen of England. This really got these guys going. So we are trading insults and I may or may not have made reference to the Queen and pubic hair. There may have been something said about her and farm animals. I’m not saying. Anyway, I say something involving her and certain sex act and the next thing you know these guys grab me and hoist me in the air. Before I know what’s happening I’m sailing through the air and out of the door of the pub. I hit the cement really hard too.

 The upside of this story is that I did not pay my bar tab!! One day I shall have my vengeance on all Brits.