Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Ya will

We've all known that Mrs Doyle's obsession with the offering of tea in Father Ted is firmly based in the reality of a certain Irish social experience.



Witnessed this on a train coming back up from the country the other day; two ladies, one more elderly than the other by about 20 years. The younger asked her if she wanted a cup of tea from the buffet car. The older lady asks "are you getting one for yourself?" to which the younger says she isn't, thanks.

She asked again in the "are ya sure?" way. Again a very polite but firm thanks but no thanks. This goes on for 5 minutes until the younger of the women says "sure I'll just go up and get you one anyway. And does. And the elderly lady drinks it.

I witnessed the "glass of wine/guy and a girl" version of this in the pub the other night but that's a whole other story.

6 comments:

  1. It's a pity it doesn't stretch to our US friends. Ya know the way over here you say no twice when you really want something and then give in the third time.

    Was in Chicago last year, offered the chance of going to a gig I really wanted to go to. Friend offer me tickets, I started into the "ah no I couldn't routine" thinking "Happy Fucking Days" but the bastard said ok and walked off.

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  2. Oh, Tib, it's such a change to figure that out!! People ask me if I want something, I say yes the first time, and they're stunned!!!

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  3. Apprently the ask twice ruel dates bac to teh Famine - i's in our racial memory: if you went to someone's house, they'd say 'will you have some potatoes?' And you'd say 'Ah no,' because they probably didn't have enough. If htey aked again, it meanst hey did and it was safe to say yes.

    My mother in law is a tea nad alcohol pusher - she's mortally wounded if you refuse caffeine or alcholhol while pregnant... sometimes I just take it to avoid trouble, and when I dont drinnk it, she looks at me in dismay and says'You didn't want that!'.

    No, I fucking didn't!

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