Journal

the show was great, the after-party was fun, and at 6 a.m i found myself back at the hotel getting ready to go to sleep. the only problem was that the air conditioning wasn't working, and the hotel was really, really hot. so i called down to the front desk and said: 'it's really hot up here, can i get a fan?' to which the front desk clerk said: 'just a minute, let me look.' 30 seconds pass and he comes back on the phone and says: 'no, there's no one here'. to which i reply: 'what do you mean? it's hot in my room, i just want a fan.' and he says: 'sir, i'm looking at the lobby, there are no fans in the lobby.' and then i realize what he's thinking, 'fan', as in 'groupie'. so i say: 'no, no, it is hot in my room, the air-conditioning doesn't work, i need something to move the air and make it cool.' to which he says: 'um, i don't know?' and i say: 'a fan, like the top of a helicopter.' and he says, excitedly: 'like a whirlybird!' and i say, excitedly: 'yes, like the top of a whirlybird!' and he says: 'oh, yes! i'll bring one right up.' and i got my fan(no, not a groupie)and slept for a few hours and went to the airport. in general, i'm amazed that anyone is ever able to learn english as a second language. fan? simple word, 2 completely different meanings. and imagine learning english and trying to pronounce: cough, through, drought, tough. anyone who can speak english as a second language is a better man(genderless term, 'man', in this context, ok?)than i. -moby