Dream Bigger
Sandwich with a side of crisp enunciation
The impeccably spoken Oliver Weir (left) takes an order
It is a near-daily occurrence at Simply Deli, the only eatery on Stephenville’s courthouse square: Upon encountering Oliver Weir behind the counter and hearing him speak, someone invariably will ask, “Where are you from?”
Even after 18 years in the United States, Weir’s British accent is plummy as ever. And this, of course, is rural Texas, where even a Boston accent would seem exotic. Little wonder, then, that first-time diners draw up short. When they ask that invariable question, a second surprise awaits. The answer: “Spain” — more or less.
Weir’s parents weren’t Spanish (French mother, Scottish father), but that’s where he was born. He was educated in British schools outside of Great Britain, where students are taught to speak “Oxford English” — a proper, mannered style of speaking that is sometimes called “BBC English.” As you might imagine, all this makes for a rather convoluted conversations with patrons. (That last sentence was specially crafted to be read out loud with an English accent. Try it. Guaranteed fun.)
As a time saver, Weir has considered wearing a T-shirt with the full explanation printed on it. He’s also amused when, after people talk to him on the phone, they show up “expecting this David Niven character, and instead they get somebody who looks like a corn-fed boy from Iowa.”
Weir and his partner, Sherry Hogan, opened the deli in July 2008. Weir had been an information technology specialist until outsourcing eliminated his job, while Hogan had studied math and psychology at Stephenville’s Tarleton State University, where her thick Oregon accent gave her away as an outsider. (C’mon, that’s a joke. Oregon accent?) They saw two niche possibilities: There was no other breakfast/lunch spot on the courthouse square, and there was no other restaurant anywhere in Stephenville offering items like Monte Cristo crepes. Both gaps have now been filled.
Business has been good enough to add a second-Sunday brunch every month. But Weir — who refers to himself as “a recovering recessionista” — is wary of declaring success. But even his demurrals are delivered with crisp and flawless enunciation.
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