OH MAMMAmia!

Sometimes I forget Ciccio is Italian. I know this may sound stupid, but I don't notice his accent anymore, unless I'm in a group and I see people struggling to understand him. Yet, every once in a while, we will be at home and he'll say something that triggers my memory that he is in fact foreign.

Last night, we were watching Brothers & Sisters and he said, "Why did she call her mother?"

I said, "What do you mean why did she call her mother?"


"That is her mom. That is why she called her mother," I said confused.

"Oh..... mother means mom?" Ciccio asked.

"Yes"

I was taken back because I expect Ciccio to understand everything and yet many times we are lost in translation. This recent episode reminded me of one of our first communication mishaps involving a missing cook at Bar Italia.

It was Saturday, early afternoon and I was alone in Bar Italia working brunch. We starting getting customers at the door and I was freaking out because our cook wasn't there yet. I didn't know if I should give them a table and make them wait or if the cook would ever even arrive? I called Ciccio and our partner restaurant to try to get help and answers fast!

Finally Ciccio comes in and I'm frantic.

"What's up?" he says casually.

"WE HAVE NO COOK!!!!" I said to him and told him I didn't know what I should tell the customers.

"NO Problem," he said to me and "of course" give them a table. He proceeds to get the beverage gun out to make himself a drink. I was thinking this jerk, I'm freaking out and all he can think about is getting a soda? It's his business, not mine and he's not worried about losing these customers????

"There is Cook," he says.

"Where?!" I asked.

"Look Cook!" Ciccio says and points to his soda and I realize he has no idea what I'm talking about.

"NOT COKE YOU IDIOT. COOK! NO COOOOK! COOOOOOOK!" I screamed.

At times, it can be frustrating to be misunderstood, but mostly we laugh our way through the confusion.