Tuesday 5 February 2013

The Things They Say... (Part 6.) I peeled the dog this morning...

A classic 'zenky' this morning! I'm taking the register and ask 'María' if she has any news to tell me.
'Oh yestoday, I pelar my dog.'
I don't know the Spanish word 'pelar' so I look blank and scan the room for help. Some of the kids are looking as bemused as I feel. Raul is waving furiously. 'I noweet!' he screeches. (There might be a house-point in this. He'll kill for a house-point.)
'Raul,' I say.
'Ees like when you have platano (that's banana) and you quitar (take off) de piel (skin).' 
You see, I do have a bit of the old español.
'Peel?' I ask, a bit taken aback. María is already nodding like she's trying to shake her head off into her lap. '¡Eso es!' (that's it!) she says every time her face isn't butting her tummy.
'You peeled your dog?' I ask, with mouth gaping. I have to struggle to keep a straight face. My one English child is looking like she thinks she's joined some 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' training school. Some of the Spanish kids are edging away from María, she might not get too many more sleepover invites by the looks of things.
A little 'snipping' motion from María's fingers finally suggests to me that the word she really wants is 'cut' (cortar). I suggest that she was cutting her dog's hair and the nodding fit intensifies frighteningly.
Everyone relaxes a fraction as I explain the difference between cutting a dog's hair and (theoretically) peeling one.
Never a dull moment!

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