Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Hanging from the Ceiling

Look everyone - it's the photocopied house! Now, where is the television? Cue a long pause. Because I remember what a television is, and I can see it very clearly in the picture. But I cannot for the life of me remember how to say "in the corner". Everyone's looking. I've got to say something. "Rhino, where is the television?" The teacher repeats the question, more slowly this time as if to emphasize how very stupid I must be (or am I paranoid??). Several of my classmates shoot me pitying glances. I can see one mouthing the answer but - unfortunately - the only word I can make out is "television". Suddenly I have a flash of genius. "The television is ..." wait for it "...next to the desk?" "Good, Rhino, the television is next to the desk. And where is the desk, Paul?" Phew, there are another 15 people to get through before it's my turn again - surely we'll have exhausted the contents of this room by then? Of such dry-mouthed drama are my Tuesdays made, dear reader, ever since I decided to learn another language. I'd forgotten what it was like to be completely stymied by the word for "handtowel" and to retain only the phrase "hanging from the ceiling". However, last week's vocab test showed that I have a firm grasp of "checked", "striped", "flowery" and "patterned". I love it, it's just like being 14 again. All the "boys" sit towards the back of the room, doodling on their pads and snickering. Last week's exercise " a __ can be __" (adjectives, you see) produced the gem "a girl can be dirty" (phnaaar) which kept us giggling for a good 15 minutes. The "girls", on the other hand, sit at the front and all have dictionaries. And furry pencilcases. OK, I'm making that bit up but they DO all have dictionaries. I'm already looking forward to the school holidays...

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

I thonk i didn't catch something.. what foreign language are you talking about when you say you learning a foreign language. sorry if i sound somehow dumb :p

Anonymous said...

oups.. think and not thonk (the letter just right after, my fingers are tired tonight...)

Anonymous said...

Thonk sounds like a word in the language that Rhino is learning. Rhino, will you tell them what language it is or will I have to tell them?

rhino75 said...

Dear Mr Brightside, I know only too well that tired-fingers feeling ;) (?!) In fact, I didn't say which language I'm learning. Can you guess? (and DON'T say French ;D) Micke, how much to buy your silence?

Anonymous said...

is that some chinese or japanese like language ? or maybe german ? dunno ..
Micke, how much to buy a secret from you ;)

Anonymous said...

You can both buy my silence by sending me naked photos of you. That'll do.

rhino75 said...

Getting warmer, Mr. B....

rhino75 said...

Again, Micke? What happened to the last lot? :D

Anonymous said...

I sold them to Têtu.com!
Or was it badboys.com?
Well, can't remember.
I sold them anyway.

Anonymous said...

Svensk per chance ????

rhino75 said...

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Hercule Poirot prize for top blog deduction goes to ... Tiresia!! Spot on, sir.

Anonymous said...

Micke ____ still ______ for ____ naked _____ of Rhino and _____ aka ______ for remaining _____!

rhino75 said...

Micke, du är för "smutsig"!

Anonymous said...

Jag vet men jag kan inte låta bli…

rhino75 said...

;)

Anonymous said...

Top blog deduction eh, I call it being observant ;-)) So when do you get to go to Sweden to test out your newly acquired skills?

rhino75 said...

;)) Hopefully, my next trip there will be this summer. I do love it there and it'll be good to see my friends again.

Anonymous said...

I'm happy you're going there this summer. You can buy me snus then.
;-)

Anonymous said...

So you are still waiting for my naked photos ;) i guess you will have then to pay more that a few bucks and not only you will pay but also have nothing more than my gentle smile and some poetry if you want ;) not fair you said? i'm not sure, that sounds fair to me, my poetry is not that awful, contrary to what could be the photos, i'm not photogenic ;)

Anonymous said...

.. once more, i take the risk to show my stupidity but.. what did "for remaining _____!" standed for, i clearly managed to fill the others blanks, but that one remains mysterious to me ;)

rhino75 said...

I'm back, fresh from the Eurostar!! Yes, Mr. B, me too - I didn't understand what that last space was for - perhaps we're allowed to improvise?

Anonymous said...

You guys are bad at "gap fills", the last word was "silent". You both fail and must send me those naked photos now, or you both get a written warning to be signed by your parents.

Anonymous said...

give a try... ;)