I was wandering around various houses, on accident... seemingly walking in on people. They didn't seem to get angry, so I tried talking to everyone I saw.
me: "Excuse me, can anyone talk, maybe answer some questions?"
Everyone I addressed made excuses for why they did not have time, and I noticed even the animals seemed to speak about being too busy. I went outside and saw a little dog sitting on the ground.
me: "Excuse me, can you... speak?"
dog: (mouth moving like a movie effect) "Yes."
me: "Oh. All right. That's unusual where I'm from. Dogs can't speak."
He looked puzzled.
me: "Well, maybe we're not seeing things the same way. If you don't mind some contact... this is your left ear. It feels fuzzy. This is your right ear, also fuzzy."
As I touched him, he got closer. His nose got very close and touched my face.
me: "Okay that's your nose. Wet, not fuzzy. Dogs use them for smelling. But you're a little too close, you might wake me up."
The dog and I sort of had an awkward moment as his paws went up to my hands and he started to morph into someone looking a bit like a Mexican migrant worker. We swayed forward and back until he disengaged. He became very angry, as he stood on his feet a short distance away.
mexican: "This 'dog' of yours?!? That is how they've translated it? This is all from a history of discrimination against my people."
Note
I don't know if the people he referred to were Mexican migrant workers, or if it was merely another step in 'translation' to me for the status of his disenfranchised group--whatever it was.