Talking to Neighbors at a 4th of July Party

Listening Well is the Key

Jul 10, 2022

The professor sat down next to the old lady from the neighborhood on the 4th of July in Orange County, California, and she in thick accent said, hello.

And the professor said, hi. How do you know them [the people throwing the party].

And she said, I've lived across the street for 20 years.

Oh, cool, the professor said. Where are you from originally?

I'm from Denmark, she said.

My mom's from Denver!, the professor said excitedly. He continued,

Which part of Denv--

I said Denmark, she said.

Oh that's weird, we've always said Denver. How do you pronounce it again?

The old lady smiled and said DEN-MARK.

The professor took this in with a straight face, and said, I hear , is that a Westminster accent? North Denver?

NO, DENMARK ! she said giggling and wiping her face at the same time.

That must be how they pronounce it in Greeley. I'm from Littleton, in the south part on the foothills. Nice to meet someone from back home, he said biting into his hotdog.

She leaned in, and said slowly and firmly, I'm from DENMARK in Europe.

In wha? the professor said, almost cracking a smile but holding it in.

She smiled, repeating EUROPE.

In my wha? In- My-Rope?, he said pointing at himself.

No, Europe, she said with a big smile.

The professor slowed down, and through the fireworks, wiped his mouth and chewed his hotdog, and with a full mouth, said, My Up?

She looked at him and said, --.

I don't have an up, he said after swallowing.

EUROPE.

My rope? The professor paused, and , holding the last half of the burnt hotdog, offered, I have some paracord in the trunk, but how did you know about that, and what's that have to do with Denver?

You are too much, she said. Make sure you try what I brought, she said smiling.

He said, that's quite a spread in there. I wish someone would've brought Danishes , those are my favorite, and he smiled at her for the first time.

[This made her smile big].

[And they watched the fireworks together as he listened to her bitch about socialism].

The Republican Professor

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