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and you're not wearing a dressing gown

English translation: it is the second reason (supplied by Raymond) why she manages to persuade the desk staff to supply..

16:37 Nov 3, 2003
English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary
English term or phrase: and you're not wearing a dressing gown
("Perfect Strangers",
hotel lobby, two o'clock in the morning,
Alice coming back from a walk,
Raymond straight from bed, in his dressing gown)

Raymond: I'm trying to get some scrambled eggs, but apparently that's the craziest request they've had in years.
Desk clerk: A club sandwich I'm sure that can be arranged, sir. Or maybe even a turkey baguette.
Alice: Shall I try?
Raymond: You try? Well, why not.
Alice: And maybe it would be easier to do it without an audience, Raymond.
Raymond: Okay, I'll shove off over there.
[Alice approaches desk clerk)
Alice: Thay'll be along in a moment.
Raymond: Extraordinary! What's your secret?
Alice: Well, I've stayed here before - once or twice over the years.
Raymond: And you're not wearing a dressing gown - mind you we could be waiting here for hours.
lim0nka
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:29
Selected answer:it is the second reason (supplied by Raymond) why she manages to persuade the desk staff to supply..
Explanation:
scrambled eggs when Raymond can't manage it.

Alice is successful in persuading the desk clerk to order scrambled eggs for Raymond,when Raymond...

...couldn't manage to do this (he was offered club sandwiches, and other things, but not what he asked for).

Raymond asks what her secret is (the secret of being able to perform this "miracle"), and she tells him it is that she has stayed there once or twice,

Raymond means "on top of that / in addition to that, she isn't wearing a dressing gown, and he is - which is why she succeeded, and he didn't....."



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Note added at 37 mins (2003-11-03 17:14:57 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

not only has Alice stayed at the hotel a few times, and so gets better service from the staff (her reason), but added to that she isn\'t wearing a dressing gown in the public hotel lobby (but is properly dressed, so the hotel staff will respect her)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 13 mins (2003-11-03 17:50:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

typo.(reply to Ruth below:-) \'poor Raymond always seems...\'
Selected response from:

DGK T-I
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:29
Grading comment
This must be it. Thank you very much.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
5 +4it is the second reason (supplied by Raymond) why she manages to persuade the desk staff to supply..
DGK T-I
3 +4YOU are not wearing a dressing gown (like I am)
RHELLER
4 +1slight ambiguity
jerrie


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


1 min   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
YOU are not wearing a dressing gown (like I am)


Explanation:
he is upset

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Note added at 2 mins (2003-11-03 16:40:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

no one wants to stand around in a hotel lobby in one\'s bathrobe (he should have dressed before he went downstairs :-)

RHELLER
United States
Local time: 02:29
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 1252

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Stephen McCann
7 mins
  -> thanks Stephen!
agree  Patricia Baldwin
18 mins
  -> thank you Patricia!
agree  bartek: and amused, I suppose :-)
18 mins
  -> thanks Bartek!
agree  lafresita (X)
4 hrs
  -> thanks MJ!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

32 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +4
it is the second reason (supplied by Raymond) why she manages to persuade the desk staff to supply..


Explanation:
scrambled eggs when Raymond can't manage it.

Alice is successful in persuading the desk clerk to order scrambled eggs for Raymond,when Raymond...

...couldn't manage to do this (he was offered club sandwiches, and other things, but not what he asked for).

Raymond asks what her secret is (the secret of being able to perform this "miracle"), and she tells him it is that she has stayed there once or twice,

Raymond means "on top of that / in addition to that, she isn't wearing a dressing gown, and he is - which is why she succeeded, and he didn't....."



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 37 mins (2003-11-03 17:14:57 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

not only has Alice stayed at the hotel a few times, and so gets better service from the staff (her reason), but added to that she isn\'t wearing a dressing gown in the public hotel lobby (but is properly dressed, so the hotel staff will respect her)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 13 mins (2003-11-03 17:50:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

typo.(reply to Ruth below:-) \'poor Raymond always seems...\'

DGK T-I
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:29
PRO pts in pair: 401
Grading comment
This must be it. Thank you very much.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Refugio: Yes, they will take a dressed person more seriously than a person in a bathrobe.
31 mins
  -> Thankyou Ruth ~ Raymond always weems to be getting into awkward situations, but at least there wasn't a hedgehog in the hotel foyer :-)
agree  Science451
1 hr
  -> Thank you Sci ~
agree  Catherine Norton
5 hrs
  -> Thank you Catherine ~
agree  chica nueva
10 hrs
  -> Thank you Lai'an ~
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
slight ambiguity


Explanation:
He could mean, you managed to do it, and you're not even wearing a dressing gown ... a request from a lady in a dressing gown might be impossible for a (male) desk clerk to turn down, whether it be scrambled eggs, or champagne and caviar!

She managed it fully clothed! No feminine wiles!
Whereas Raymond in a dressing gown can only potentially produce a club sandwich.

(Who knows what she actually said to get the scrambled eggs...she didn't want an audience). I've never watched this, or else I might be able to tell you!

jerrie
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:29
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 773

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  María Teresa Taylor Oliver: That's exactly what I thought, too. That she didn't even *need* to be in a dressing gown, or barely clothed, to be heard. Her feminine charm alone got her the clerk's attention, without having to reveal skin or anything.
4 hrs
  -> Thanks
neutral  Refugio: then wouldn't it have read, "not even"?
20 hrs
  -> Not really...it would be in emphasis of 'and' together with facial expression (perplexed look - one raised eyebrow) etc
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