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A moment revisited
Nov. 1st, 2008 10:11 amMany years ago, I had a group of friends in Quebec city that I had met in CEGEP. It was me, Gail, Stephen, Danielle, Mike, Guy, and JP. We played pool, D&D, went to parties, hung out. It was comfortable, fun, and we thought it would never end. Then Mike, Gail, Guy, and I went off to different universities, other got jobs, got busy, and the group splintered a bit. We all kept in touch and got together whenever we could.
Every few months, Gail and I would come back to Quebec city from university to visit and catch up on local news. We usually met at a restaurant and gabbed over food. And this is where a disturbing pattern started to emerge. At some point over the meal, Guy would turn to me and say "So... you're studying... translation?"
"No Guy," I replied with some impatience. "I've told you this before: I'm studying to be a technical writer. Here's what a technical writer does..." And I would explain it to him, assuring him that I was not a translator. He would listen intently, stroke his chin, and say he understood. But then the next time we came back to visit, he would turn to me earnestly and say "So... you're studying to be a translator?" This conversation was repeated 6 or 7 times over a three-year period.
I remember driving to the restaurant and turning to Gail saying, "If he asks me one more time if I'm a translator, I'm gonna fucking lose it." Sure enough, the translator question came up and I lost it. I slammed my mug down on the table, startling the other patrons, grabbed him by the shirt collar and growled "For the last time, I. AM. A. TECHNICAL. WRITER!" Guy put his hands up in defense and blurted out "What are you getting so upset for? I've never asked you that question before!"
For that attitude and several other things, I decided to stop visiting him. I had to accept that this was who he was now and if I couldn't deal with it, it was my problem.
But yesterday, I went to the funeral home to pay my final respects. I met up with Mike and Stephen, cried some, promised to visit later, and gave my sympathies to the family. When I met his mother, she didn't recognize me at first, but then said "Oh my goodness! I remember you!"
Turning to her sister, she said "This is Guy's friend from Montreal. Y'know... the one who does translation."
Every few months, Gail and I would come back to Quebec city from university to visit and catch up on local news. We usually met at a restaurant and gabbed over food. And this is where a disturbing pattern started to emerge. At some point over the meal, Guy would turn to me and say "So... you're studying... translation?"
"No Guy," I replied with some impatience. "I've told you this before: I'm studying to be a technical writer. Here's what a technical writer does..." And I would explain it to him, assuring him that I was not a translator. He would listen intently, stroke his chin, and say he understood. But then the next time we came back to visit, he would turn to me earnestly and say "So... you're studying to be a translator?" This conversation was repeated 6 or 7 times over a three-year period.
I remember driving to the restaurant and turning to Gail saying, "If he asks me one more time if I'm a translator, I'm gonna fucking lose it." Sure enough, the translator question came up and I lost it. I slammed my mug down on the table, startling the other patrons, grabbed him by the shirt collar and growled "For the last time, I. AM. A. TECHNICAL. WRITER!" Guy put his hands up in defense and blurted out "What are you getting so upset for? I've never asked you that question before!"
For that attitude and several other things, I decided to stop visiting him. I had to accept that this was who he was now and if I couldn't deal with it, it was my problem.
But yesterday, I went to the funeral home to pay my final respects. I met up with Mike and Stephen, cried some, promised to visit later, and gave my sympathies to the family. When I met his mother, she didn't recognize me at first, but then said "Oh my goodness! I remember you!"
Turning to her sister, she said "This is Guy's friend from Montreal. Y'know... the one who does translation."
