"Don't You Call Me Fat!"

It seemed like it was going to be just like any other evening.

I went to one of my favourite cafes along Hang Hanh Street in the Old Quarters.

The cafe was quiet, unlike the past few times when it was filled to the brim with patrons.

I ordered my favourite set, comprising a delectable selection of Bánh cuốn, fish, ice-cream and a glass of red wine for a neat price of VND130,000 (Note: 1USD=20,000VND today).

One of the Vietnamese waitresses started touting for business from the passers-by. She managed to interest two Caucasian men to try her cafe for drinks. The two men sat down at a table just across from me.

Now, catching everyone by surprise, she asked one of them, "Why you so fat?", while another fellow waiter and waitress were trying to get their drinks order down.

The barrel-chested, rotund white man crossed his arms, and tried to ignore the poor waitress.

Thinking that the customer has not heard what she said, she repeated her question 2 or 3 more times. His back was facing me, but I could almost imagine his eyes flashing daggers at her. He grew visibly red in the face, and he inhaled deeply, seething with anger.

He must have really wanted to yell at the poor waitress, "Don't You Call Me Fat!".

The poor waitress only wanted to practise her conversational English, but she chose the wrong topic to engage her customer. I will bet that customer will NEVER return to the same cafe EVER AGAIN. One of the taboo conversational topics is a person's physical appearance, regardless of language or culture.

In this case, this unhappy incident could have been avoided if the Vietnamese waitress understood about the culture of these foreign men.

Now, such unhappy incidents can happen the other way. Unwittingly, as we travel the globe, we may create some annoyances to the local people, due to our insensitivities of their cultures.

If you are visiting Vietnam, I strongly recommend that you read Vietnam - Culture Smart!: the essential guide to customs & culture.

I have deliberately not named the cafe where this incident took place, because I don't want to sully its reputation. Honestly, it serves quite good food at affordable prices.