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• Big Word of the Day: Part Cinq

  Monday, Nov 26, 2007 6:15PM / Standard Entry / Members only
  2 comments

  Preggers
  
  For the past year and a half, I've been going on business meetings and organized an event at Hong Kong Disneyland... but at the hotels/resorts. Never made it to the park itself. Yes, so close, yet so far. Many a times did I want to turn right at the exit of the train station, but instead, always had to turn left to catch the coaches to the hotels. But this time, darn it, I finally made it to the park!!
  
  So you can imagine my enthusiasm as we entered the park. We were handed some cardboard specs that, once you look through them, transform any direct light (and yes, that includes the moonlight!) into a snowman! As we made our way to Main Street, I spotted Goofy and Pluto hastily walking towards a shop. I just couldn't contain myself - this is the happiest place on earth, after all - and leaped sideways right in front of Goofy. I felt sorry for the person inside the suit as he/she skipped a step backwards. The attendant told me to step off because the DD (Disney Dogs) had places to go and people to meet. Fine.
  
  I drag my feet to Tomorrowland, feeling a little nervous at the idea of having to ride Space Mountain. Yes, I am that useless when it comes to rides. But nevertheless grab my FastPass, because darn it, I've been waiting for a year and a half to get in this park so I'll make the most of my 'stay' here. While waiting to start lining up for Space Mountain, we decide to go to Autopia, a car circuit attraction (get the play on words? Get it? Get it?). We wait about 45 minutes... after which we all line up at our respective gates for our respective cars. I'm the last one of the batch and am terribly excited about my first "ride" at HK Disneyland.
  
  I'm about to get into the car when an attendant comes to me. By now, my faithful readers (population: 2), you should know how incredibly fluent my Cantonese is. The attendant, a man in his late 20s, early 30s, asks me whether I can understand Cantonese. All confident I say "Hell yeah!" (okay fine, I said "yes"). So the dialogue goes:
  HKDAA (HK Disneyland Autopia Attendant) - in Cantonese: Miss, in order to ride the car there are bla bla bla bla
  Me - in Cantonese, and obviously not understanding what he said: Sorry? Can you repeat please?
  HKDAA - in Cantonese: Miss, in order to ride the car there are bla bla bla bla
  Me - in Cantonese: I'm sorry, I really don't understand that last bit, perhaps you could say it in English?
  HKDAA - in English: Miss, we cannot allow pregnant women to ride the car.
  Me (perplexed): Eh? (or that would be "Eeeeee?" in Cantonese)
  HKDAA - in English: You're not pregnant?
  Me (now extremely perplexed and staring down at my jelly belly): Er, no.
  HKDAA - in English - and not embarrassed - while opening the gate door for me: Oh. In this case, enjoy your ride!
  Me - in Cantonese and English: ............
  
  Before you feel appalled and alarmed, let me tell you, I ain't gots no hard feelings. Why? Because the dude was merely doing his job. Perhaps they had bad experiences with women having miscarriages on that ride (and what a crrrrrazy ride that was, wooohoooo! Actually it was boring as hell). Who knows? But one thing's for shizzle: his delivery sure needed a little bit of tact. Oh well. I'll give some feedback anyway (hunched over, rubbing hands with machiavellian laugh).
  
  On to the official definition - and I'll spare you the crude examples - courtesy of Urban Dictionary:
  
  

  preggers
  	A term used by both Upper and Lower class British Citizens while talking to friends to claim that their life long partner is pregnant.

  
  And y'all probably thought I was announcing that I was pregnant... sheesh. Well I obviously am, according to HKDAA!