"English only!"

I'm afraid I may not be able to relate this story effectively, as it was kind of a "you had to be there" moment. But I'll try.

At Treasure Island last night there were two Irish tourists to my immediate right. They were chatting with each other between hands, and continued talking as the cards were dealt. As the dealer gave them their first down card, he cautioned, "English only." They paused for a second, but then went on. As the dealer came around again to deliver their second cards, he repeated more emphatically, "English only! Once the cards are dealt, you have to speak in English."

The two friends stopped their conversation, both looking at the dealer with puzzled faces. Finally, one of them protested, "I don't have any choice--it's the only language I know!"

They had been speaking English all along. The problem was that the dealer was Asian, with English as his second language, and he simply didn't recognize the heavy Irish brogue as being the same language he had learned.

The dealer was embarrassed, I think, but the rest of us found it to be pretty funny. I asked whether accents were banned from the table. To the right of the affected players was a guy from the deep South. He drawled, "I wonder if he can understand me!" The two friends laughed it all off without offense, and they didn't get any further reminders to speak only in their native tongue.

I should add that I do indeed appreciate this dealer's attempt to enforce a rule. In my experience, dealers generally don't take care of this particular infraction on their own, but intervene only if another player complains. I don't like having to be the one to ask to have the rule enforced. So I hope that this one slightly embarrassing experience doesn't dissuade him from his laudable efforts.