FEEDING THE BRASS

I listened as my husband told the story of his career. He mentioned feeding "the brass" and kept on talking. It made me chuckle inside. I wondered if our client knew that expression. I started to pay more attention to see if any other interesting phrases would pop up. Our guest was delighted. He wanted to hear a real American speak normal American English. He was interested in learning to talk more naturally. He would certainly get that from David! I am more careful when I speak to internationals. I try to avoid idioms, and short forms of words. I am boring! :D

Americans often say things in short cuts that may be different than written English. For example: we do not always say: I am going to go to the store. Instead we say: I'm gonna go to the store. (a contraction followed by an informal expression). Then there are the modal verbs. Could, would, should and so on. These are natural for us but may be confusing to ESL students. And the comparatives and superlatives: good, better, best. Just try explaining how good becomes best, why not gooder and goodest? I am reminded of disclipining a child when we have run out of logical reasons for what we demand, "Just do it that way because I said so." Sometimes, I have no idea why English is that way. Maybe some reader does. Please chime in here. My only excuse is that some of our words come from other languages. One author of an English text book wrote that the early American immigrants needed quick easy ways to communicate.

Our guest was also curious if people in different parts of our country understood each other. I said usually, unless they are from Tangier Island (sorry Tangerines, I do usually understand you) or Appalachia.

Back to David's story. He was talking about when he first began to cook. He worked at a military resort hotel as a swimming pool life guard. The breakfast chef called out sick (hungover, is what David probably said). David had to make breakfast for the brass. If you are not former military or a military brat (dependent) as we are, you may not follow. The brass are the military officers and leaders, the important people. He was promoted from lifeguard to breakfast chef by the brass. And so began his career in the kitchen. It ended with him being a corporate chef.

Another ESL student asked me what a corporate chef was so I showed him some pictures of David's catering. Corporate chefs make food for large groups and sometimes work for large companies. During his career David studied under chefs and even took some classes at the prestigious Culinary Institute of American in Hyde Park, New York. He went from small restaurants to working for a hotel chain, a hospital, a university and a food service corporation with over 600 employees. At the university he feed 3000 students with a kitchen staff of 80 people. I cannot even imagine how to plan for that. Now he can take it easy and be my personal chef. I'm the brass now. ;D I am so spoiled!