Languages and observations

I was at Fred Meyer standing in the pharmacy line, and there was a Hispanic man with his young daughter, a few people ahead of me, speaking to his daughter in Spanish, and then I saw it: “The Look” and mumbles from some of the other people in line, whispering why he isn’t speaking English.

I had seen the look, heard the same whispers, with my parents, who are German immigrants, when I was a kid standing in line grocery shopping when she would speak German to me.

I got my prescription and the man was walking out with his daughter. He was wearing a Dallas Cowboys jersey and I said to him, boy, my Eagles and your Cowboys took it on the chin last Sunday. He laughed and said he was here visiting family and that he is from Arlington, Texas. We wished each other happy Thanksgiving and walked out the door.

As I looked behind me he reached into his wallet and put some dollars in the Salvation Army bucket and walked to his car with his daughter. Another lesson for those who judge others by their language or race — I wonder which of those same people in line, who muttered and had that nasty scowl, put money into the Salvation Army kettle.

Steve Hintyesz

Spokane