你一直在玩

April fool’s day. Bad day. Not my day.
But I did feel like an idiot tonight.

After a whole week’s non-stop working overtime, I am feeling very grateful that I don’t have to work on weekend. And today is other people’s holiday . I had a sleepy morning, a tiring afternoon, a hungry evening, and spent almost four hours on bus and train. So when I finally sat down for dinner, my appetite was already totally worked up.  All I wanted was to have some nice food and enjoy the music, before getting back home in the suburb.

On my left sat a couple, speaking English while sitting close… so close to me…that I indeliberately/unavoidablely/unwillingly captured all of their conversation, as I waited impatiently for my cheese cake and risotto.

First the man said something about Africa. I thought, well the pretty lady sitting to his opposite must be a foreigner. But when the young woman started talking, I realized they were both Chinese…Sometimes she switched to Mandarin, but the guy continued in English with persistent efforts. Later on they discussed tentatively about the correct spelling of “restaurant”, and about travelling on business instead of personal recreation, because the company pays for everything if you travel on business…blablabla .

I got quite angry at their way of speaking and even angrier with the content. Is today the English Corner’s Day? I did feel “cornered”! Why should two Chinese people chat in English over dinner in a densely-populated restaurant???
Sullenly I finished my dishes quickly and left.

Still I couldn’t help recalling, vividly, the first lesson of New Concept English, book 2:

 

Last week I went to the theatre. I had a very good seat. The play was very interesting. I did not enjoy it. A young man and a young woman were sitting behind me. They were talking loudly. I got very angry. I could not hear the actors. I turned round. I looked at the man and the woman angrily. They did not pay any attention. In the end, I could not bear it. I turned round again. ‘I can’t hear a word!’ I said angrily.
　　’It’s none of your business,’ the young man said rudely. ‘This is a private conversation!’

上星期我去看戏。我的座位很好，戏很有意思，但我却无法欣赏。一青年男子与一青年女子坐在我的身后，大声地说着话。我非常生气，因为我听不见演员在说什么。我回过头去怒视着那一男一女，他们却毫不理会。最后，我忍不住了，又一次回过头去，生气地说：“我一个字也听不见了！”
　　“不关你的事，”那男的毫不客气地说，“这是私人间的谈话！”

And here’s my version after customization:

Tonight I went to an restaurant. I had a very bad seat. The food was very delicious. I did not enjoy it. A young man and a young woman were sitting beside me. They were talking loudly in English. I got very angry. I could not hear the music. I turned aside. I looked at the man and the woman angrily. They did not pay any attention. In the end, I could not bear it. I turned aside again. ‘I can’t unhear a word!’ I said angrily.
　　’It’s none of your business,’ the young man said rudely. ‘This is an English-practising conversation!’
晚上我去吃饭。我的座位不好，东西很好吃，但我却无法享受。一青年男子与一青年女子坐在我的旁边，大声地说着英语。我非常生气，因为我不得不听见他们在说什么。我侧过头去怒视着那一男一女，他们却毫不理会。最后，我忍不住了，又一次侧过头去，生气地说：“我每个字都听的见了！”
　　“不关你的事，”那男的毫不客气地说，“这是英语练习对话！”