I decided to be of little to no help.
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"Yes. Over there. Is that a fake statue?"
"Wow. I'm sorry. It's hard for me to tell from here if it's a fake one. Or a real one," I said.
"The one right below the antenna?" he continued. " Or, wait. Is it a dish?"
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I did realise that by fake statue he meant one of those plastic owls intended to scare pigeons away. (The Dowager Duchess had one on her balcony for a short time. She got rid of it after the pigeons covered it in poop.)
As we entered the apartment, I said, "You know, I'm not even sure if that was a real satellite dish or only a fake one."
"What?"
"You know, the dish you thought was a fake statue."
He noticed my smirk and finally caught on. "Oh. I guess it wouldn't be a fake statue, would it."
He then walked into his office/den. Musy followed.
As usual, San Geraldo's office was (and is) a mess. He apologized to Musy (who had to navigate through the clothes, shoes, books, and papers on the floor.
"Musy," he said, "I'm sorry for this den of inequity."
"Iniquity," I muttered.
"What?"
"There's nothing inequitable about that mess."
And to think this is his first language.
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I like the term, "den of inequity." There are lots of times lately when some political figures in this country seem to envision such a place as the goal.
ReplyDeleteMichael:
DeleteUnfortunately, people all around the world are living in dens of inequity. But, enough of that. In the '70s I had hippie friends who moved from New York City to a 20-acre farm outside Binghamton. Down the road from them was a funky old farmhouse/antique shop called "Den of Antiquity."
LOL! Must be a joy to live with Jerry! A constant source of entertainment and at no cost!!
ReplyDeleteJim:
DeleteThe humour would probably have run out a long time ago had it not been for the fact that he's fairly brilliant and fascinated by everything. He wonders about everything and asks questions I would never even think of. And, sometimes, the questions even make sense!
Between this post, the last one, and the one you linked to about underwear, I've been in stitches! And I guess they're fake stitches, as opposed to real ones. :)
ReplyDeleteMichelle:
DeleteStick around. San Geraldo has a million of 'em (as you already know). I'm so grateful he's such a good sport about it!
Jerry & I would get along just fine... Bill & I were waiting for a bus the other day... beside the parada was a llantaria.... I started talking to the man working on the tires... said something about the llanto. He laughed and gently corrected me... something about crying over a flat tire... llanta/llanto.... I bet Jerry can relate ;-)
ReplyDeleteSharon:
DeleteThanks for the lesson -- llanto/llanta. That IS an old Spanish expression, you know. "There's no sense crying over a flat tire." (Or something like that.)
"Den of inequity" is wonderful! I think SG has devised a new phrase that will be used worldwide at times both appropriate and inappropriate (or is that approbate and in-approbate?). Thank you for keeping your readers at the fore of language evolution!
ReplyDeleteWilma:
DeleteOr maybe it's reprobate.... Should I look it up? I love sharing our linguisticals and fluenticities with the world.
Thanks, Mitchell! I needed the laugh today. Lots of love and hugs to you both, from me on the Oregon Coast, where - magically - the sun also sets in the West. The odds of that happening in both places, on both sides of the world, must be astronomical.
ReplyDeleteOh no, now San Geraldo will think the world is flat, with two sides. Sorry about that.
Jo:
DeleteAre you serious? The sun sets in the west in the west? (And I meant to say it that way.) Well, I guess we're still in the west ourselves. I'm sure Jerry was one of the kids that asked why we all see the same phases of the moon at the same time around the world. (Can you explain that?)
I can't point fingers at San G. I did, after all, invent the phrase 'scrumbled pampkins'. Sending hugs to you both. =)
ReplyDeleteJacqueline:
DeleteWe all do it. Some of us (i.e., you and Jerry) just do it more than others. Sending hugs back!
It is interesting how much we use language without realizing what we're really saying :)
ReplyDeleteJudy:
DeleteYes it is. Just listen to Sarah Palin's recent Trump endorsement speech!
I feel your pain, and your smirk, from here!
ReplyDeleteBob:
DeleteAt least Carlos can always say in his own defense, "English is my second language. How many languages can YOU speak?"
It's amazing how a single letter or two can change the entire meaning of a word or phrase.
ReplyDeleteStephen:
DeleteIt sure is. And as we continue to learn Spanish, I regularly say to Jerry, "Vowels are important." (i.e., the difference between "pollo," chicken; and "polla," cock (and not the chicken kind either).
I just like it that they talk to each other.
ReplyDeleteRachel:
DeleteWe both have full conversations with the cats. Dudo only speaks when he has something important to say. Moose never shuts up and, of course, the more we respond, the more he talks.
It is brabbles like these that lead to court either as a divorce as a key witness in a homicide trial.
ReplyDelete