Beijing Gringos
We set out for Da Dong Roast Duck Restaurant last night, our second trip in Hugo and Diana’s visit. (Hugo may not be so fond of living ducks, but he loves them on a plate!) When we went inside, we said hello to some other foreigners. They were a camera crew, setting up to film at another table. We watched them for a while until we saw the star.
“Is that Don Fransisco?” Diana asked. “That’s Don Fransisco! I’m in the same room as Don Fransisco!”
Hugo checked with one of the production guys to confirm, but it was true. Don Fransisco, the host of Sábado Gigante, a Saturday variety show on the Spanish channel back home, was interviewing one of the Da Dong chefs. Diana was completely starstruck. It was hard to understand her with all the squealing and bouncing in her seat, but I think she said he has a singing contest on his show where the Spanish inquisition hauls off the losers.
We were eating and giggling about being in the background of an Unavicion TV show, when we saw that Don Fransisco and his camera crew were on the way over to our table!
Don Fransisco came around and asked us how we’d met each other, where we were from, and what we were doing in Beijing, and so forth. He spoke to Hugo in Spanish, but to the rest of us in English, and then turned to camera to repeat our answers in Spanish. Don Fransisco asked what Stick and I did in China, and then asked “Are you married, or a couple in the modern way?”
“The modern way.” Stick said.
“Yeah, I’m still waiting!” I said, pointing to my ringless finger.
“Still waiting? Get up!” Don Fransisco made Stick get up, and come around to my side of the table, and get down on his knee. There we were, surrounded by the Unavicion crew in a peking duck restaurant, with Stick on one knee saying all the words a girl wants to hear, and then waiting for them to be translated into Spanish! High romance!
July 1st, 2008 at 11:28 pm
I’m pretty sure that makes you officially married. Or you won a donkey. One or the other.
July 2nd, 2008 at 11:20 am
This would only happen to you.
July 2nd, 2008 at 11:29 am
[…] interesting “proposal” here, a hilarious twist on the fairly-common proposal in a nice restaurant: Don Fransisco came around […]
July 2nd, 2008 at 11:31 am
I’m going to start using “in the modern way” to mean illicit!
(by the way, I’m not in Hangzhou anymore, couldn’t get a visa extension so I’m at my dad’s until ?? )
July 2nd, 2008 at 6:58 pm
@ Cory — I think your mom and dad will kill me if we get married in China.
@ Kevin — Probably!
@ Steve — Looks like Stick and I may also be back in the states soon. The harmonious Olympics are not auspicious for foreigners!
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:02 pm
“Stick on one knee saying all the words a girl wants to hear, and then waiting for them to be translated into Spanish!” - but did he mean it? Or did he have one hand behind his back and fingers crossed? These are serious questions which need to be answered.
Sorry to hear of your possible expulsion from the centre of the universe, at least you have been there for part of 2008 - I never reached the door, let alone got through.
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:14 pm
@ Flotsam — No ring, so I’m pretty sure it doesn’t count! Also I’m pretty sure our China adventure is over.
July 8th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
[…] talks about wild weddings around the world… a suitable followup to a crazy proposal, or a crazy courtship! Where no Bridezilla has gone before…. Japan invites you to get married […]