Quote Originally Posted by Bluetree
The best one was in Lexington, Kentucky. I was there on business, driving in from Louisville and had stopped by a local diner. The waitress came up to me, opened up the menu in my face, pointed to pictures of the various items and then said slowly and loudly, "What... food... do... you... like?" She said this making an eating motion with her hand.
I ordered my meal with the few Spanish words in my repertoire.
Whew! That's a good one! I think I'll be chuckling to myself all day every time I think: "What... food... do... you... like?" Oh, man. That's funny. Answered in Spanish. heh heh heh, good one!

My sister (now 42) and I still tell the story of being in Kentucky with our grandparents (we're all from Illinois...well, our ancestors are from Sweden and Scotland and Denmark...oh, you get the point. We're northerners). My sister was 10. The waitress asked her what she wanted to order. When she hesitated a second too long, my grandmother said, "She doesn't understand you, dear. It's your accent, you know."

I confuse the heck out of some people when I speak my fluent Spanish at work. I walk in all Swedish looking, open my mouth, and out comes good Spanish. I've been asked if I was maybe...Cuban? Usually they say, "Where are you from?" Here. "Where are your parents from?" Here. "Are you married to a Latino?" No. Finally they break down and ask, "Why do you speak Spanish so well?" I practice!