unexpected juxtapositions

Caroline spotted me entering the corridor through the double doors, smiled and asked: ?Do you know if we are meant to be in yet??

?Errm??? i said somewhat in a daze. then i finally understood her inference, pushed the left-hand sleeve of my fleece towards my elbow to unveil my hidden faceless rock-watch and tried to decipher the time before muttering: ?Oh? yes we are on-time??

at this point Caroline walked toward our Friday German classroom and peeked through the peep-hole, then timidly opened the heavy door. ?Ah!? she sighed in relief, upon seeing Anthony, our classmate, sitting in the room alone, turned backwards toward me and smiled before we both entered.

there were just three of us at present, slightly early for our lesson.

?Birr? it?s cold isn?t it? Or is it just me?!? i asked whilst trying to get warmer?rubbing my sleeves together and deciding to take the seat next to Caroline. Anthony nodded and smiled, probably at my silly conjecture. i noticed he was wearing his woolly hat which he then gently removed from his head, exposing his dark hair. it is merely Spring; the weather has been quite kind to offer some pleasant rays of sunshine but it is not quite as Summery as most of us would like to believe.

?Ja? it?s cold?? said Caroline.

?and you are in your slippers!? I exclaimed.

?oh yes, my flip-flops!? she corrected me. i must have looked perplexed because she went on to justify her perceived lunacy, ?Oh I got used to it, I was wearing them in Winter last year in New Zealand during my Gap year?. they don?t wear anything else there.?

?ah ha?!? i muttered finally settling into the seat after removing the happy yellow windbreaker i had on (i'll refrain from saying it?s mine because it is officially on permanent loan!).

?hmm, I am so hungry, I think I should go get something to eat before my tummy starts rumbling in class?? moaned Caroline, who, whilst getting into her seat, searches her summery bag for something, presumably her purse?.

?What were you doing in New Zealand?? inquired Anthony in his slow but rather strong Scottish accent? at this point Struan appeared and sat between Anthony and Caroline, while Caroline continued to explain that she was in the other part of the hemisphere teaching English.

?Why would anyone go to New Zealand?!? asked Struan, "Teaching English? Don't they speak English there?!" he was clearly not impressed by the fact that a British should visit another English-speaking country because, he thought, there was little cultural differences to gain from. to this Caroline further explained the she was there to teach English to the refugees and foreigners from asia and asserted that there are the indigenous Maoris and their interesting rich culture to experience, not least the beautiful landscape with which she fell in love. In fact, so much so, she would like to take up residency there. I thought that might not be so much of a problem if she is British, but apparently it is quite difficult, likewise in Australia.

?Why don?t you become a diplomat or work for the British Consulate?? suggested Struan.

Caroline looked surprised and started to inquire further about that prospect...

?You?d get bugged? interjected Anthony, ?like Kofi Anan??

?Well...?you wouldn?t know anyways...? Struan replied.

?That?s the point. You won?t know if you were bugged.? reiterated Anthony.

?Bagged? What? I don?t get you? what are you talking about? interrupted Caroline looking rather confused. by this point in time the others have trickled in?. Emma and i exchanged glances and giggled about this silly conversational bug.

?Bugged? repeated Anthony.

?Why would anyone get bagged?!? queried an exasperated and perplexed Caroline.

?No, not bAgged but bUgged? stressed Anthony, as best as he could. Caroline looked a little embarrassed. i found this amusing; it appears that the English do not seem to understand their Scottish fellow-Brits terribly well.

?I would probably try to work for the consulate in Russia? pondered Struan?

?oh ya? your girlfriend is there isn?t she?... how?s that going?? asked Caroline.

?ah.. well, I am getting a bit tired of flying over every so often just to see her??admitted Struan.

?Struan, you aren?t Russian, are you?!? i had to reaffirm my understanding here?at this point our teacher, Sabine, who had overheard our conversation smiled and agreed ?Ja, it?s just about getting to be too confusing?.?

?No, I am not Russian?, confirmed the red-haired Struan, who couldn't possibly pass the look of a Russian but speaks the language and has a Russian girlfriend.

posted by ~overacuppa~ on Saturday, 8 May, 2004 at 01:04 hrs