The zapato was on the other foot

My friends and I sometimes speak Spanish in front of people who don't understand the language. Some say we are rude and accuse us of talking about them — which is true about 50 percent of the time. Ha ha. Just kidding.

I've always thought these people were paranoid and overreacting until I was put in their shoes recently.

I went to get a haircut, and most of the barbers in the place spoke primarily Spanish. One of them greeted me in broken English and as I was easing into his chair, he and another barber started making fun of my hair. One told the other in Spanish that I looked like a rooster that just got out of bed.

Ouch! They must have thought I was Italian and didn't speak Spanish. But I understood every (funny but) stinging word they said.

So from now on I vow not to carry on a Spanish conversation in front of someone who doesn't speak it — because it is rude.