WANTED

So today I saw a couple of interesting things.

First of all, in the middle of WASP-central Lincoln Park, I saw a sign in front of a restaurant that read:

Se necesitan cocineron con experiencia

That's it. No translation. Which means, what the restaurant was looking for was a cook that spoke Spanish. A hispanic cook. Which isn't a big deal when you realize that any place you go to in Lincoln Park has Mexicans the other hispanics in the kitchen.

The thing that struck me is that it wasn't in English and Spanish, just in Spanish. Whether it's for lower wages or some other reason, this place was specifically looking for a Hispanic (short order) cook.

Is this a case of a stereotype molding to reality or just reality further escalating the stereotype? I don't know, but a few minutes later I walked into McDonalds (also in Lincoln Park). McDonalds here in Chicago are either Hispanic or Black, in my experience. This one happens to be Hispanic with the odd black person thrown in. The cashier in the line I was in was black, and he was having a hell of a time understanding the Asian man in front of me in line. I couldn't understand him either. Part of it was language, part of it was culture, and part of it was age—the man was a little out of it.

But after placing my order (and having a little trouble of my own understanding the black youngster behind the counter), I heard the other, hispanic cashier as the next customer what she wanted.

In a heavy accent: Can ah jelp nest custmer?

Customer: (Slight pause, as if to see if it's OK) Si, me da una quesoburguesa doble por favor?

Cashier: Quiere el menu o solo es sandwiche?

And the transaction went on as it normally would, in Spanish.

None of this should surprise anyone whose been paying any attention for the last ten years, but still. In the middle of Lincoln Park, to see this, made an impact on me.

What if I didn't know Spanish? How would it feel to walk around and have no idea what half the people around you are saying?

I guess now Americans can even get the experience all of use enjoy when we travel abroad right here in their own WASPy neighborhoods.

Wait, is that good or bad?