Saturday, July 12, 2008

Watch Your Language

I had errands to run this morning, as did my wife, and when I talked to her at about 11.30, she indicated that she was at a shop with the kids and would be home for lunch by 12.30. Shortly after 12.30, the phone rang, it was her, and she was making a big deal about how well behaved the kids had been for her during the morning drive/shopping. She wanted to reward them by having me meet them for a family lunch. So we agreed to each drive to a favorite local spot, Aqui, in Willow Glen.



While there and enjoying our meals together, I got a text message from a friend who had been intending to swing by our house and pick up some computer stuff he needed to borrow. He lives only few minutes away. He also is a fan of Aqui, the restaurant we were at, as mentioned.



The exchange was brief and simple. Here's what I interpreted...


Him: "You around?" (Are you at home so I can drop by?)

Me: "Aqui" (No, I am at Aqui, having lunch)

Him: "good time?" (having fun?)

Me: "Si" (Yes, we are having a good time. So good I said yes in Spanish.)

About 30 minutes later, as I drove up to our home, I recognized his car on the street and found him inside talking to my wife, who'd arrived moments before me. In typically rude, geek engineering fashion, I skipped the social pleasantries, greetings and salutations that my wife so graciously reminded me of a moment later, and just blurted out "What are you doing here?" or something to the effect.



It turns out that he knows Spanish, or at least one word more than I know. And that word is "Aqui". "Aqui" means "Here". So as he stated, we had two very different conversations at the same time.



Here's what he interpreted...


Him: "You around?" (Are you at home so I can drop by?)

Me: "Aqui" (Here. Yes, I am at home.)

Him: "good time?" (is this a good time to come by?)

Me: "Si" (Yes, come by.)