As a British English speaker in an American English environment, I arrive at new interactions knowing I will, first and foremost, be perceived as foreign.
writing
Heads, hides and rugs
On a wander recently I came across American Wild Life Taxidermy. The sign on the door said ‘Open’ so I decided it was an opportunity not to be missed. The owner seemed busy but kindly let me see what they were working on. He led me back into the shop where a younger man was removing the flesh from a large (and clearly fresh) pelt with a circular electric blade.
Oscar of The Tube
It all began with a cardboard tube. A giant cardboard tube, addressed to “Oscar Rubio”. At work I have a foible about people who use our hostel address for their mail. Over the years the bulk of mail has grown exponentially with long forgotten visitors. When this over-sized package arrived for someone not even checked in to the hostel, my wrath had been invoked before we had even met.