This was probably my favorite story in Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim. Pity, this version doesn't have the beginning of the essay, which involves blind hunters and what sounds animals make in other countries.
The lack of French roosters saying coco rico (which sounds like one of those horrible premixed cocktails with a pirate on the label) is regrettable, but +5 anyway for one of my favorites from Sedaris.
every year there is a rash of zwarte piet-related crime. it's amazing what the anonymity of blackface combined with the temporary anonymity of being zwarte piet will do to dutch folks.
I remember my first run-in with that character. A foreign woman wanted to give her grandchild some video game and had an advertisement so she would not forget which one it was. She shows it to me and asks if the store carries it. Featured is what looks like a black faced transvestite holding video games. I say that I will go check and take it to the office to photocopy thinking that no one would believe me without proof.