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
