This post is about a cup of coffee, a bridge or two and a $5 bill.
One morning earlier this summer when my co-worker H walked across the Museum courtyard on her way to the coffee-cart, she noticed an older couple standing on the side trying to read the map of the Museum. Though desperate for a cup of coffee she decided to be kind and stopped to try help the tourists.“Where do you want to go?” she asked them, but they didn’t understand, so she tried, “What are you looking for?” still no comprehension.
H pointed to the map and said, “Impressionist paintings?” (a large percentage of tourists who visit the museum only want to see those paintings), but they stared blankly at her, so she simplified her question to: “Van Gogh…? Monet…?”
That’s when the man understood her. He said something to his wife and pointed to H’s hand – she was holding a five dollar bill for her espresso – the woman looked startled, but quickly opened her purse, took out her wallet and handed H a $5 bill.

Hungarian Stamp issued to publicize the value of savings.
By Darjac [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
H was sorry she’d started this conversation, she really needed her coffee – we only get a fifteen minute break and she still had to go stand in the line at the coffee cart – so speaking very slowly she pointed: “See that building over there? P-a-i-n-t-i-n-g-s by I-m-p-r-e-s-s-i-o-n-i-s-t-s like M-o-n-e-t …”
After she’d said “Monet” that slowly she realized what had happened, and why the sweet old couple were backing away from her. When she’d said “Monet” they thought she’d said “money” and assumed that this is big bad America where people can say “Give me money!” [I think they also may have had trouble understanding H’s Lebanese accent.]
H started laughing and soon ended up bent over double, holding her stomach, with tears running down her cheeks.
The tourists weren’t laughing. She thinks they understood the joke after she made them follow her all the way to the Impressionist galleries and pointing to the paintings by Monet, she said “Monet” and pointing to the $5 she said “money”.
I’d love to hear their version of the story. 🙂
Before I end off, a quick UPDATEabout another bridge:Last weekend’s Carmageddon-2 was a success. Inspite of the 100 degree temps, everything was finished ahead of schedule, and crews also trimmed trees, filled potholes, and paved southbound lanes.
It was a big challenge to demolish the northern section of the Mulholland Bridge because:
- the bridge is 80 feet high
- the span was nearly one-third bigger than last year’s section
- they had to take down four concrete supports (two more than last year) each encased with 3/4 inch steel to protect against earthquakes,
- workers had to make sure that the chunks of concrete they knocked down didn’t damage the newly built portion of the bridge.
Crews removed 2,700 cubic yards of material, including 300 tons of steel and a four-foot thick pad of sand laid down to protect the freeway from falling rubble.
Four inline skaters and three pedestrians received citations for attempting to walk on the empty freeway.
The worst traffic jams occurred on Carmageddon Sunday when motorists unexpectedly discovered road closures in West Los Angeles for the Herbalife Triathlon: two thousand-five hundred competitors from all over the world swam, cycled, and ran from Venice Beach to the Staples Center.
[Unfortunately neither of the two paintings by Monet which I used to illustrate this post are at our Museum… I wish they were. They’re my favorites.]
Wonderful story. What an interesting place you work Rosie…
Hi Sybil,
I’m glad you enjoyed my little story.
Hundreds of people from all over the world come to the Museum every day, so we never know what our next encounter will bring. It keeps the days from being dull. On Thursday I met a Russian family -from Vladivostok – who’d emigrated to New Zealand. Imagine the culture shock of that move!
Great story!
Nice to know you enjoyed the story Andrew. 🙂
What a silly encounter! I’m glad that in addition to that misunderstanding, the couple didn’t also think that at the suggestion of seeing Van Gogh’s paintings they were being told to “go” and leave the museum in a “van”
Oh that’s too funny e fullstop! It’s very possible that because American’s pronounce Van Gogh as “van-go” (and not Van GoGH) they could’ve thought it meant give me the money and get out!
What a funny story! I too wonder what those tourists will tell their families back home…
And such a relief that you all survived Carmageddon2… phew!
Whatever they thought of the story I hope they went away not telling everyone back home how in America you can get “robbed” even in broad daylight and even in a museum!
So many of my readers wanted to know what happened at Carmageddon-2 that I added the update here. I know it doesn’t really belong here but I didn’t want to make it a special post.
Yes we survived the closure of the freeway BUT it’s going to take another couple of years of dreadful traffic snarl-ups i.e awful commutes to work before it’s completed.
I’m seeing a remake of the movie Jerry Maguire when Gooding and Cruise have a SHOW ME THE MONEY (Monet) exchange. Funny story.
I made the mistake of clicking the link to the Herbalife Triathlon with photos of people with zero body fat. Our Saturday morning breakfast plan of pancakes has been scrapped. Plan B: egg white omelette! 🙂
Hi EOS,
Very funny to think that someone could be inspired by reading my post to write this story into a movie… I want full credit y’all!
One has to do all that extra work to add the link so thanks for telling me that you clicked over to the Herbalife Triathlon 🙂 I can’t imagine running a marathon let alone being able to run, bike and swim, it makes me exhausted and hungry just thinking of it…
Talking of hungry can I invite myself over for Saturday breakfast pancakes? Perhaps the spider will have left another one of those amazing webs for me to see.
Your work – apart from the tiredness that I’m sure you feel from it – must keep you entertained well beyond even your posts here, Rosie! 🙂
Hi Val,
You’re right, although it’s really tiring having to stand an entire day, I come home each night with so many more stories than I’ve shared here. For instance, the past week I noticed some really funny tee-shirts, but if I added it at the end of this post it would’ve been too long, so it went into the already overflowing folder of stories waiting to be shared …
You’re not allowed to sit, at all?
I look forward to reading about the Tshirts.
We basically stand all day. Very tiring on the marble.
Great story, Rosie. Funny, too. Like you, I wonder what the couple’s version would be. Glad Carmageddon2 worked out well. 🙂
Nice to know you enjoyed the story Robin.
I know Carmageddon-2 doesn’t really belong here, but I didn’t want to make it a special post. Traffic takes over too much of our lives. Yes we survived the weekend closure but it’s not all over, we still have another couple of years of awful commutes to work.
Ha ha this was great – just ask my children, I always call out as they’re leaving ‘have you got monet?’ (and I liked the update to carmageddon too)..
That’s so funny that you say “have you got monet?” to your kids. A lot of people ask for the artist Degas which they pronounce as “de-gaS.” Many jokes on that one too.
Thanks for joining the conversation.
What a great job you have! Looking forward to reading more.
Beautiful Monet paintings. Love the story . Made me laugh. I work in an environment with multi-cultural co-workers and there are times we had to stop and laugh at how we pronounce the words when our accents gets to thick. It’s what makes us all unique , beautiful and amazing. Won’t trade it for the world. Have a great weekend.
I’m glad you liked the paintings and the story IT.
The most important thing to remember is we all have funny accents, so don’t judge others, and always be willing to laugh at ourselves. Even though I’ve lived here over a decade I still use English words that Americans don’t use.
The first thing I thought of while reading your wonderful tale was Abba’s “Money, Money, Money”. I think we should create “Museum: The Musical!”
Between the linguistic misunderstandings and the daily struggle to get to the coffee cart, there’s plenty of material. I’m not sure yet where we’ll insert the chorus line, but there has to be a place. Maybe in the Impressionist gallery, in front of a Degas ballerina, or, even better, the post-Impressionists in front of Toulouse-Lautrec. Possible song title? “I’m Not Impress-ed”!
I really love the idea of making a musical on the “Museum…” I’m not impress-ed is a marvelous title.
Instead of just standing behind our cash registers we can have a chorus line of us cashiers doing the can-can… heh heh
Oh man Linda, you remember my coffee cart woes. I never go near the cart when the coffee nazi’s working. Hey, did they sing a song in the Seinfeld story about the soup nazi that we could borrow?
I, too, would love to hear the couple’s version of the story. 🙂 Never a dull moment at the museum with the endless parade of fascinating people to observe and interact with! I love those two Monet paintings, too. Now you’ve got me wondering if there ever has been or ever will be an American stamp issued to publicize the value of savings…
It’s never dull at the museum because every day hundreds of new tourists with their own quirks and queries walk in the front door.
Nice to know you like the same paintings as me Barbara.
I somehow doubt that the USPO has a stamp encouraging savings. Isn’t our economy based on us shopping and shopping and shopping?
Yup, sadly that’s why we are referred to as consumers rather than citizens!
Oh what a great answer Barbara. Sad but true…
OMG the Monet Story is wonderful! xoxox Lil
Glad you liked the Monet story Lillian 🙂
Hahaha! Sometimes,it’s better if everyone just looks at the art, I think 🙂
It’s a lot easier not to stop and help even when you can see the people don’t know where the heck they’re going.
What a story in miscommunication! I bet your files are full of more.
Glad you survived Carmageddon…what a name that applies and I learned it from you.
It’s true I have dozens of stories I haven’t shared.
I survived the Carmageddon weekend BUT I still have another two years of horrible traffic while the extra lane on the 405 is being constructed.
Georgette I’m delighted to be able to teach you new words 🙂
Thanks for the chuckle, Rosie. I’ve spent some time here getting my fix of your posts 🙂
I’m delighted to pass on a chuckle to you Cindy. In fact anytime you need to laugh just thinking of this should have you in hysterics 🙂
I cannot understand why this comment of yours ended up in my spam. You’ve been a blogging buddy for over a year!
What a great story… Enjoyed it! 😉
Thank you so much for commenting. It’s interesting what can happen when people don’t speak the same language.