The telephone rang earlier. It was “unknown name” with an unfamiliar number. I answered it, on the off chance it was someone calling from Colombia for Ma.

(transcription based on my lousy knowledge of spanish, and is probably not correct)

me: Hello?
Mystery Man: **garbled**
me: Hello?
**much back ground noise as the phone was passed around the room, apparently**
C: ¿Hello?
Me: Hello.
C: ¿WB?
me: Si.
C: Es C.
me: Hola, C, ¿como está? **hand over mouthpiece, hollered to Ma to come to the phone**
C: Bien. **beyond my comprehension of spanish** feliz cumpleaños.
me: ¿A mi?
C: Si. ¿Eres tu cumpleaños?
Me: Si, mañana. Gracias.
C: ¿Y sherlock? ¿Como está?
Me: Bien. ¿Quiere hablar con sherlock?
C: No. ¿Y Ma, como está?
Me: Bien tambien. Ella está aqui, momentita.

And I passed the phone off to my MIL and literally ran to my room to start laundry to avoid having to take the phone back.

I hate hate hate answering the phone when it’s someone from Colombia because then I have to muddle through with my insufficient Spanish until MIL comes to the phone. And, since MIL finds it entertaining to listen to me speak Spanish, she always wants me to talk more to C.

That being said, I was shocked that C knew it was my birthday. And, I’m honored she, who I have never met and will likely never meet, spent money to call me from Colombia. That was very sweet, in an “oh crap, I have to speak Spanish” sort of way.

After…

Ma: She was calling to wish you a happy birthday.
Me: I know. I thanked her.
Ma: I know, she told me.

I think Ma appreciates that I make a half-hearted effort to communicate with her family. It just stresses me out terribly. My Spanish is not what it could be, or what it was when I was taking classes in high school.

wRitErsbLock