The other day I, while I was waiting my turn at the chiropractor's office to get my back cracked, I overheard another couple's conversation that was so funny it took every fiber in my body not to laugh outloud. Even still I had to turn around so they wouldn't see the laughter rising up within me. English was clearly not their first language. I'm guessing they were from some South American country. But they were speaking English, I guess since they were filling out new patient forms in English. One of the forms asks a series of questions about your past and current medical history, and this was the subject of their conversation.

M: "Honey, what are painful menses?"
W: "Menses? Menses? I don't know."
M: "Do you think I've ever had painful menses?"
W: "I don't know."

I wanted to offer them help, to stop him before he said anymore, but how do you explain to someone who's first language isn't English what a mense is? And moreover, how do you explain it to a strange man without turning the color of a beet? I figured it would be a little more difficult than explaining what a fajita is to a bunch of Russians. Luckily the doctor walked out just then, so I left the receptionist, who I think was trying intently to pretend she wasn't hearing their conversation, to deal with the situation.