Dexter.

It’s not every day that you hear an elderly black man speaking Mandarin. More specifically, a native Yankee cracking up a group of Chinese tourists.
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Niagara Falls. Wow. This is the third time I’ve been, but it still is still magical. McHubz and I loaded up the McBabies, covered them with the cheap ponchos that accompany your ticket to the Maid of the Mist, and got on the boat to head into the center of the ring of falls. McBaby #3 was only slightly interested and was increasingly aggravated at the plastic hood on her poncho. McBaby #2 was curious and aware while simultaneously clinging to our legs or the handrails. McBaby #1 asked why we didn’t bring her bathing suit and promised to try to stay in the shallow end if we’d let her get in. Apparently she was unafraid by the massive amounts of water coming down and the thunderous roar they made.

What we left talking about more than anything though was a man we met on the elevator on the way down to the gorge where the boats departed. His name is Dexter. He is probably in his 60’s. When we got on to ride down to the entry, he greeted everyone (there were probably 20 on each elevator) with a smile and salutation. In our lift was a large group of Chinese tourists chatting amongst themselves. Dexter jumped in speaking in Mandarin and they responded with shock and laugher, then applause as he continued conversing with them. He then spoke Spanish to another gal. On the way back up the elevator, I greeted him in French… my little experiment, I suppose. Of course, he replied in French and continued the conversation.

When asked how he had learned so much, he said with a huge smile that he’d just picked it up while riding up and down chatting and listening to the fine folks on the elevator. He laughed when he spoke. It’s a laugh that will stick with me. I certainly don’t mean to say his job isn’t a great job, but, simply put, his job requires few tasks daily. He takes a group down, then up, then down, then up, then… you get it. He presses perhaps a couple buttons.
As the jazzers say though, “t’aint what you do, it’s the way that you do it.”

Thank you Dexter for the best trip I’ve ever had to Niagara Falls.

Since there is a piano here… I thought I’d add the little ditty. 🙂 I’m in my blogger uniform – geek glasses, knotty bun, and pjs. Forgive me. Here is “T’aint What You Do, It’s the Way that You Do It” on YouTube. below…

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