Small Talk

I thought of writing about this a few days ago, but dismissed thinking its too petty and stupid. But now I no longer feel so. So here I go....

A certain female has been spoiling my lunch experience for the past few days.

Now, let me give some background. We are a group of 6-8 people depending on the availability, who usually go for lunch together, with a variety of native languages to talk of. Yet a majority is such that speaks or understands the local language. But I ve never found myself out of place in this group, coz we all take care of each other, and language of conversation in commonly understood ones; or if parts of different languages chip in, they are duly translated for all to follow.

Now this "lady", had recently started luncheoning with us. Firstly she is very fussy about the kind of food she wants to eat, something we have never experienced before. We do choose, ponder, experiment (I lead in experimenting department); but basically all food is fine with us - considering there are more that 10-12 varieties available in my office canteen at any point of time.

Next she is somehow bent upon speaking in a language which I won't understand (for reader's information - I speak and understand only Hindi or English). She speaks two or maybe three language, except for Hindi and English; whatever, I don't know any so they are all the same for me.

Now an issue arises when majority being able to understand her, switch over to replying in the same language (which can be any of the 2 or 3) .And for some more reader's information she talks a lot too. This is something I ve not had to deal with ever in Bangalore.
Yes when I initially came to B'lore, it felt like an alien place, alien food, alien language, but now I am pretty much at home with everything. Thanks to (mostly) nice people I ve come across. And I ve learnt to adapt things my way, or get adapted to them.

Let me clarify one more thing, I am not against learning a new language, but the way she makes me feel - which is somewhat, no quite a lot, like ignored or left out - makes me all the more determined not to make any effort to learn one.

Right, I ve told her upfront too, to please keep me in mind, and converse in a commonly understandable tongue, or take the pain of translating after every sentence, out of which obviously none is done. (Oh, and its not my fate alone, I have some company too!)

My irritation is building, and I really dunno what I 'll do to get the situation under control.

All I am asking is common courtesy and some amount of etiquettes. But some people are so adamant, or maybe plane foolish to not to get even that.

P.S. I ve written this post in a very agitated frame of mind. Could do with some innovative ideas to sort this out.

P.S.S. And one more plea, on behalf of many more like me - if u are in a group of people, take care that if what is being said is for all to hear, then let it be comprehend-able to all.