None taken. Usually I rather agree.

The next day I went on to Kildare. The main tourist attractions there are the Japanese gardens and the national stud. When I climbed on board an otherwise empty bus at the first stop, confirming that I had indeed got the right one, the driver asked whether I wasn't trying to get to those things, rather than to the town itself. "Actually, no. I'm looking for the monastery, although I'm not entirely sure where it might be. I've had decent luck so far in getting to the nearest town and wandering around a bit."

The driver studied me. "You're an American, are you?"

"All apologies."

"But, your accent. You haven't always lived in The States, have you?"

"I did live here in Dublin for a few months, but that was years ago. Oh, and I watch an awful lot of Doctor Who. But that's all. If you don't mind, may I ask what accent I seem to have?"

He began cautiously. "Well, you'd know you were an American to talk to you, but some of these Yanks, you'd know them coming from up the street, you know what I mean?" And he laughed to himself rather a lot before coughing on it a bit and then offering, "I mean, no offence."