See that girl? She has chicken legs.

Leaving NYU the day before yesterday (Friday), I saw two women munching on a sandwich and remarking how yummy it was.  I asked where they got it from.  They were so excited to tell me, one woman got up and explained carefully how to get there (only a block and a half away).  It was called Sami's Halal Food.

To my surprise, it turned out to be a street stall.  The second surprise was that the guy mixing the onions and mince chunks on the grill was Pakistani-looking.  I was almost sure he'd be Egyptian.

Playing the fool I asked him if his meat has any pork in it? 

"Huh?" he grunted. 

"Pig meat - does this food have any?"

"How dare you ask me this question?  Come over here!  Look at my sign: it says HALAL!"

I couldn't help myself and I burst out laughing.  "Sorry I was just joking around", I said.

He wasn't seeing the funny side of it.

"You tell me 'here, look at that girl, she has chicken legs' that's joking.  But pork in my meat, that's not joking."

Sorry, I said, continuing to laugh.

"I have been doing this job for nine years and never, ever has anyone asked me this stupid joke before.  Americans they buy from me all the time, they never ask such joke."  He was clearly annoyed.

Finally, he accepted my apology and insisted he likes jokes, but not my one.

He had absolutely no hard feelings and smiled at me as I left. 

I did not buy a sandwich after all this!

I know, I am horrible.