Never a dull moment

By Irwin Schatzman
This item appears on page 46 of the June 2015 issue.

Tell us about the funniest thing that happened to you while traveling in a foreign country. (ITN prints no info on destinations in the United States.) There are no restrictions on length. ITN staff will choose each month’s winner, who will receive a free one-year subscription to ITN. Include your full mailing address. Entries not chosen cannot be acknowledged. 

This month’s winner is IRWIN SCHATZMAN of Scottsdale, Arizona:

My wife, Joy, and I were on a river cruise in Eastern Europe. One evening at dinner, we were sitting at a lively table with four other guests when our entrées were delivered. 

One of the women had ordered steak, and she found it to be tough. She called over the server and told him the steak was so tough, it was difficult to cut.

The server replied, in all seriousness, “Shall I get you a sharper knife, madam?” 

Fortunately, I had nothing in my mouth when she replied, “No, I would like another steak,” or it all would have come flying out.

From the tone of her voice, the server took the hint and proceeded to return with a more agreeable piece.