Copyright -Anelephantcant
Sam and Maria decided that after graduation they want to do great things in the world together. Maria already teaches English as a second language at the community center. Sam admires Maria and wants to volunteer too, but he doesn’t speak Spanish. Maria suggests a software program to help Sam learn the basics.
When they meet for lunch, Maria asks how the Spanish course is going.
“It’s been an entire week and all I can say is my bicycle is blue.”
“Sam, your bicycle isn’t blue.”
“So, you see my problem.”
“Yes, you should keep studying.”
“Or paint my bike.”
*****
Honie Briggs 
If reality doesn’t fit the story change reality 😉
I love short fiction done right! This was wonderfully done.
I got a chuckle from this. I still have my beginning French phrases in my head from many years ago. I can imagine how this would feel.
Funny and I would have said that for real!!!
Scott
Mine: http://kindredspirit23.wordpress.com/2013/07/18/5078/
Me too, Scott. Me too.
🙂
This is definitely a week for last line brilliance, yours very much included!
Thanks, Troy. There are some really great ones this week. I appreciate being included.
Super cute. Sweet dialogue.
Funny!:)
Very funny! Reminds me of high school French classes, when we learned such classics as “Ou est la bibliotheque?” and the useful “Ou est la salle du bain?”
Two very useful pieces of info, as every smart woman knows, the location of the library and the bathroom. Odd how there is almost always a line at one and not the other. Thanks!
Hahahahahaha! ¡Que comica! Gracias que compartaste esta historia con nosotros.
(How comical! Thanks that you shared this story with us!)
Funny story, Honie! Spanish is easy once you get the hang of it … and I learned at 40!
Again, a very funny and enjoyable read!
I say thank goodness for google translate! HA!
This guy is thinking proactively. Will he paint it another color when he learns more?
Maybe he’ll just volunteer to paint people’s bikes. HA!
The sentence does sound nice in Spanish … but sounds like Sam needs to toss out the software program.
I agree…or he’ll just go around telling people the color of his zapatos y pantalones.
How can that be learned before “Where’s the bathroom?” and “A beer, please?” I think he needs a different course! I really enjoyed this, Honie.
janet
Exactly, lesson one: cerveza por favor. Of course, he could have been thinking he might need to describe his bike to someone just in case he had one too many. That Sam, always thinking ahead.
That was a lot of fun, Honie.
Well, I’m all about the fun, ya know.
I think I would paint the bike!
Thanks for the smile. Love this. Wish all obstacles could be overturned so easily. Or, maybe they can??
Life: Lost in translation.
Si 🙂
Querida Honie,
¡Muy bien, Chica! You had me at the title. Loved this. Mil gracias.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Es usted muy amable, querida señora. Gracias.
Laughed. Well done.
Mission accomplished. Thanks.
I can sympathise whole-heartedly. I’ve always made a point of learning the language of the country in which we were living, and just so glad we never lived in China. 😦 Poor Sam, there’s a long way to go yet. Nice one Honie.
Sandra, how many languages do you speak? Yeah, poor Sam, he’s got a definite problema.
I was reading along and then I was laughing. Well done Honie, a great write! 🙂
Terrific!
I actually did LOL – very funny! For me, painting a bicycle is definitely preferable to learning a second language – I have barely mastered English.
Yes! Spontaneous laughter is one of my goals. I agree, pass the Krylon por favor.
Too funny!
Hey Lady – Thanks!!
Lovely story! Poor Sam; I hope he perseveres.
He will. He’s got to impress Maria.
This made me giggle 🙂
giggles, chortles, and guffaws – all acceptable! 🙂
🙂
That’s funny.
Seriously, it’s the first full sentence I learned. Makes no sense whatsoever, since my bicycle is silver!
Enjoyed this bit of fiction, but now I’ve got Queen’s “Bicycle Race” song stuck in my head.
Oh! I so should have included that song! HA! There are some really good ones this week.
Hah! Exactly my attitude to learning a second language unfortunately, however much I tried.
I can totally relate. Spanish is such a beautiful language. I need a full immersion program. The software route was not for me. Spanish speaking students amaze me. English grammar and punctuation can be confusing, even as a first language, and it’s truly humbling to see how hard they work hard to learn it. I should be such a student!