On the Spot

On the Spot

Andi Berlin

We found retail and consumer sciences junior Jenny DeGennaro, a junior majoring in retail and conumer sciences, in front of Chipolte on East University Boulevard.

Wildcat: OK, you’re on the spot. I’m just going to ask you a few random questions just to get your idea about them. No. 1: ¿Cuál es el nombre medio del primer presidente de los Estados Unidos?

DeGennaro: What? Am I supposed to be speaking, what?

W: Did you understand it?

D: No.

W: I just said it in Spanish.

D: Yeah. I don’t speak Spanish.

W: Oh, you don’t?

D: No.

W: Crap. Well, did you understand it at all?

D: Something … no.

W: I can say it again.

D: In Spanish? I don’t speak Spanish though.

W: Um. Lemme see if I can remember what it was in English. (Pauses.) What about this one. ¿Cuál era su Web site … Web site …

D: Yeah.

W: … preferido cuando tenía siete años de viejo?

D: Wait, what was it, do I what?

W: … preferido cuando tenía siete años de viejo?

D: Uh, no, I have no idea. I can’t answer these questions.

W: OK. That’s OK. You know the problem in Darfur, right? The conflict in Darfur?

D: Nope. No.

W: Well, it’s just, a war is going on.

D: OK, I don’t think I’ll be able to answer these questions well.

W: Are you sure?

D: Yeah.

W: Could I just ask you the last one?

D: Yeah, is it in English though?

W: Um, I could. Well. I mean it’s not, but, this one’s a major … Well, I’m just asking about a novel.

D: But, I don’t speak Spanish, so I don’t know.

W: But all I did, was I took the first few lines from a novel that everyone’s had to read and I put it in Spanish. Because we’re in front of Chipotle.

D: Oh. Yeah.

W: But you don’t know “”Era el mejor de épocas?””

D: I speak zero Spanish. I say “”Hola.”” That’s about it.

W: Man, I should have remembered. Do you know el nombre medio del primer presidente?

D: No.

W: I think it’s “”What is the middle name of the first president of the United States?””

D: Um. Like right now? George W. Bush?

W: No, the first president.

D: Oh, I have no idea.

W: Actually, I don’t even know either.

– interview by Andi Berlin