Ethiopia

My Story

By Shukri Abdulahi

When I came to America, I met some girls and we became friends. One day they took me to the fast food restaurant, Jack in the Box. At this time I was in America for only one month. I didn’t know much about the country, and I didn’t know how to speak English. Jack in the box was near my house, and I really liked the fries they bought me the first time. I tried to go buy the fries myself again. After, I went back to Jack in the Box. I went into the driving lane without a car. I didn’t realize this lane was only for cars. After a while I arrived at the window. I asked the drive thru cashier for “chips”. I thought the English word for fries was chips. The drive thru cashier tried to help me, but instead I thought she called the police on me. I got scared so I ran away as fast as I could. I ended in my house hiding under a blanket and crying thinking I was in trouble. I hid for two days thinking the police would come looking for me. On top of that I didn’t leave my house for a whole week. I would also run out of fear every time I would hear an ambulance, thinking it was the police coming to get me. After many years, I happened to run into the same lady at McDonald’s. However, I didn’t recognize her but she did recognize me. Then she came up to me and said she knows who I am. I replied back to her and said, “I don’t know who you are.” At this time I learned more English so I understood what she said. She told how she remembered that time she saw me at Jack in the Box. I began to laugh as I remembered that day. Then she said “I wanted help you, so why did you run?” Then I told her that I ran away because I thought she called the police. She said she felt bad because she wanted to help me. I told her thank you for trying to help. That how I was able to meet her again. I know that everyone who comes to America for the first time has an embarrassing story. This was my most embarrassing story.