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07.07.07

A funny thing happened on the way to work

Posted in Funny at 2:04 pm by leingang

I guess I’m lucky that my employer is a tourist attraction.  Sometimes it’s mildly annoying to cross campus and be forced to walk in front of three groups taking pictures (as usually happens every lunchtime), but that comes with the territory.  Sometimes the interaction is a little more memorable.

Yesterday I came to work at 9am and found the Science Center filled with tourists and their cameras.  The lobby of the Science Center is nowhere near the most beautiful locale on campus, but it is open to the public.  I found myself prevented from approaching the coffee stand by somebody videotaping a sign with a list of prices.  (Literally: “Muffins: $1.79, Scones: $1.79″, etc.). 

As I went to the elevator a family was taking pictures.  The mother approached me and asked in broken English if I would take a picture with her.  I said “sure”, assuming she meant of her and motioned for her husband to give me the camera.  No, no, no, she gestured, she wanted her husband to take a picture of herself, her kids, and me.  So some family is taking back home a souvenir of me, “an American,” complete with bike helmet, headphones, backpack and duffel bag.

I should have had him take one with my camera, too, and then I could have posted it here and you would have seen how funny it must have looked.  Oh, well.

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2 Comments

  1. California College Student said,

    July 19, 2007 at 10:02 am

    That’s what tourists do, they want to take pictures with the locals. I’ve been to a few different countries and I’ve took and had my picture taken with locals. It is pretty funny but it’s always fun to do. So have fun with those other tourists taking your picture.

  2. leingang said,

    July 19, 2007 at 11:48 am

    Well, to each his own. I would not be comfortable approaching a stranger and asking for a picture. If I met first and talked with some locals, then, sure, I would take the picture.

    But don’t get me wrong, just because I would have done something differently doesn’t mean I was offended. I did have fun and I hope it happens again. :-)