Booy!

Halloween was a major disappointment. I saw two zombies and a trainer at the gym dressed up a steroidal Luke Skywalker. I expected not to see any Thanksgiving celebration or even an Australian version because sharing a meal was the last thing the Aboriginals and settlers would do, but I thought Halloween was a little more ubiquitous. Turns out I was wrong. Whereas in the US, it gives grown up teenagers and excuse to dress up and drink on a weekday night, the Aussies don’t need an excuse (well, except for the costume part.)

There was one perk however. I got to bar tend at a wake. That’s not the perk; that’s still to come. But before I get to that, I might point out the irony that they use a wake as an excuse to get together and drink on a Wednesday evening over Halloween! Back to the perk, at the wake there was one bored young girl hoped up on soft drinks and the excitement of her first trick or treating who amused herself by running up to guest and shouting, “Booy” at them. This was a perk because it a perfect illustration of the Australian accent. The secret to speaking like an Australian is to not open your mouth too widely. All the vowel sounds are formed with the back of the tongue rather than the lips. “Why is this noteworthy?” you ask. Because of something I learned from a Venezuelan guy while bartending for a group of private high school association mothers. (Side note: I poured my body weight Champagne that day. The kids could have gotten away with murder when the ladies picked them up from school…if they made it that far. Side side note: This was an event to memorialize Armistice Day. Don’t worry, a ten second moment of silence was held before the first bottle popped.) Side side side note, NO HALLOWEEN?!  

So the Venezuelan guy told me this, “The reason that Aussies came to speak like this is because it prevents them from opening their mouths too widely because of the flies. THE FLIES! That is another story…But if you think about it and had six flies make out with your face at once, you would understand. Then you might swipe at your face and accidentally clip your nose. Anyway it is an interesting fun fact to know and tell. And because it is just the sort of pratfall that I would make with a claim about the Dutch, I will back it up with this: Angelo told me a teacher told him this. So Aussies if you read this, take it up with his teacher. Finally the last thing I have to say is BOO! or BOOY! Depending on how close you are to open water.

In my catering uniform, cutting off my too long backpacker hair. End of that Halloween costume.