Do I look Bosnian to You?

Most mornings on the subway to work are uneventful. Yes, there is a occasional shoving match or yelling fit induced by a cranky commuter, but most people mind their own business and never interrupt the morning space. The Morning Space is what I like to refer to the numb void of time in which I usually exist between commuting from my apartment to work. I either read a book or listen to my iPod, but its mainly a mental exercise to cut out everybody around me until I have had at least one cup of coffee.

This morning started out the same as most. I caught the W at Prince Street, grabbed a seat and rode along reading my book. The train was unusually crowded today. I find that most people avoid the W because they are unsure of where it goes, but today it was wall to wall people. When we arrived at 42nd street most of the crowdedness had subsided and there was room to sit. I decided to put my book away since it was boring me at that point - Mistake #1. You should always have something to distract you during the Morning Space. If you are distracted by something people are less likely to talk to you.

All of a sudden the person sitting next to me starts talking to me. In a thick eastern European accent I hear the words -

"Excuse me, how many languages you speak?"
Me-"Ummmm excuse me?"
Subway Man-"How many languages you speak?"
Me-"Ummmm I dunno... why?"
Subway Man-"You look like somebody from my country... Bosnia. Dis is how I can tell if you speak other languages... are you from Bosnia?"
Me-"Ummmm no..."
Subway Man-"Ah, so you from here? You're parents born here? You live here?"
Me-"Yes..."
Subway Man-"Ah ok cause you look like girl from my country, you look European. You speak other lanuages?
Me-"Ummm yeah... I can speak other languages, but not very well..."
Subway Man-"Interesting.. cause you look like you're Bosnian."

At this point I was not about to go into my entire patriarchal history which does include the fact that I am a first generation born American Wurzburger and that my father's parents including himself were all from Eastern Europe. Plus this dude was a far cry from Luca on ER. I was also not in the mood to continue talking since he had already clearly interrupted the Morning Space, so I decided to get off a stop early at 49th and walk the rest of the way...

Me-"OK well... ummmm... thanks... This is my stop... I have to go... sorry..."

Jennifer Garner I have gotten... Bosnian? That's new...