I had been working in our company headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland. Had given up on trying to discover new foods.
Weiner Schnitzel with the potato salad had become my standard meal.
One weekend, I had become home sick and took a long walk through the beautiful parks and the lake side areas of Zurich and at the dinner time, went to a modest, but nice restaurant in the Old Town area,
There was an Italian waiter, who brought me the menu.
He spoke very little German, no English, or French.
We were left with the sign language. I ordered by the number, it was going to be No. 8.
A few minutes later, he brought a plate with something that looked like thick square layers of rough blanket in a thick tomato sauce.
I called him over with the sign language and asked him what it was, he told me in the sign language by pointing to his stomach and making the sound of a pig.
So, I had ordered the cooked intestine of the pig, which might be a delicacy in many countries, but is a no no with me.
I called him over and told him in the sign language that I could not eat what I had ordered and wanted my regular Weiner Schnitzel with the potato salad.
He took my plate away, and asked me what happens with the bill.
I told him in the sign language, that I will pay for my both orders and he does not need to worry.
I put his mind at ease and he brought my Weiner Schnitzel with the potato salad.
I also ordered a large glass of wheat beer.
My orders were brought to my table and he gave me the good appetite sign.
I was busy enjoying my meal and happy that I had solved the problem with the pig intestine.
He came and tapped my on the shoulder and showed me a new customer who had just come in and had ordered the pig intestine meal.
He gave him my previous order and did not charge me. I gave him a large tip to thank him for his foresight and kindness, we were both foreigners after all and had to take care of each other.
In Europe they don’t leave tips, because the tip is already included in the prices and the food is not cheap
So if someone leaves a tip, they think he is an American.
They know that the Americans are usually double generous.
I had been exposed to the sign language in Iran.
My childhood barber was a mute and deaf.
We had to talk to him with the sign language.
I was wondering if one deaf person from a country could talk to a deaf person from another country with the same signs.
