Al, who was a chef with a mixed background, Bulgaria came into it and South Africa I think, worked for my nephew in his restaurant in Graiguenamanagh. He spoke, to the untutored ear, pure Cockney.
On a trip to Cork, with David they went into Flynns Butchers Shop.
It was a beautiful hot sunny day.
Al, who was by now conversant with the Irish ability to address strangers (if not the accents of same) decided to do his bit for Irish/Bulgarian peace by saying to the butcher in perfect Cockney;
“ Wat a day !”
The butcher, ever anxious to please, followed Al’s eye as best he could and answered;
“Dere pork chops By”.
Al, realising he had been misunderstood , raised his voice at least two decibels and said
“Nah, Nah I mean WAT A DAY!!”
The, now confused, butcher making yet another effort to follow Als eyeline (but consious that he had a particularly ignorant lunatic on his hands) said;
“D’you mean de chickens?”
David, at this stage incoherent with laughter thought it time to withdraw.