La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
San Geraldo had a massage yesterday evening and we met afterwards for dinner. He manages to find his way around on his own, although he can still get confused. A couple of weeks ago, when we did the same thing, I had to give him directions from across the street. I finally told him to look up and to his left while he crossed. I was waving to him from two buildings away. This time, he insisted he knew where he was going. And it seemed he did. However, since I was wandering around when he phoned, I told him I would meet him along his walk. I asked which of the pedestrianized streets he was coming up. He said, “The one with McBissell’s on the corner.” We’ve been together long enough that I was able to translate on the fly. He was talking about Rossellimac, an Apple premium partner in Spain. When pronounced in English, it sounds just like McBissell (in San Geraldo’s head). As I walked up the street to meet him, I passed a shop whose name I quickly read in Spanish as Reed-ay-BEE-kay. What an odd name, I thought. Then I saw the logo. Ride bike!
San Geraldo recibió un masaje ayer por la noche y quedamos después para cenar. Se las arregla para orientarse solo, aunque todavía se confunde. Hace un par de semanas, cuando hicimos lo mismo, tuve que darle indicaciones desde el otro lado de la calle. Finalmente le dije que mirara hacia arriba y a la izquierda mientras cruzaba. Le estaba saludando desde dos edificios de distancia. Esta vez, insistió en que sabía adónde iba. Y parecía que sí. Sin embargo, como estaba dando vueltas cuando llamó, le dije que lo encontraría en su camino. Le pregunté por cuál de las calles peatonales venía. Dijo: «La que tiene McBissell en la esquina». Llevamos tanto tiempo juntos que pude traducir sobre la marcha. Hablaba de Rossellimac, un socio premium de Apple en España. Pronunciado en inglés, suena igual que McBissell (en la cabeza de San Geraldo). Mientras caminaba por la calle para encontrarme con él, pasé por una tienda cuyo nombre leí rápidamente en español: Reed-ay-BEE-kay. Qué nombre tan raro, pensé. Entonces vi el logo y la ropa de ciclismo en el escaparate. ¡Monta en bici! [Ride bike.]
• Disculpe. ¿Podría indicarme dónde está McBissell’s, por favor?
• Un logotipo extraño, si me preguntas.
• Dudo pregunta: “¿Estáis seguro de que estáis bien?”
Indeed! lol Dudo is keeping an eye on you two!
Jim:
Always.
Dude wonders if he needs to come with you next time!
Boud:
Dudo would have a nervous breakdown at the thought of that.
I am like SG when I am in a parking deck. I get so turned around. The two of you are good for each other!
Michael:
I would always forget where I parked the car. The Kid Brother and I once spent 45 minutes looking for the car in the parking lot of the San Diego Zoo. Another time, I worked a Christmas season at a Macy’s in a shopping mall. Seven levels of parking and I couldn’t find my car. I finally sat on the hood of a car that was passing by and he took me from level to level until I found it.
Whenever I park in a deck now, I take a photo of the number/letter of the space so that I have a way of finding it. Technology at its best.
Michael:
Yep. Wasn’t so easy to do in 1978!
Dudo says, “I can correctly pronounce BOTH those words! What’s wrong with you guys?” But you know, it all just sounds like one long meow.
Debra:
Dudo is bilingual but his dialects are hard to understand.
I’m not sure there’s much else you can do with a bike other than ride it.
Kirk:
Yeah. Not the best name.
Dudo is perfectly capturing how I look at myself these days. It’s not as funny as it used to be.
Sigh.
MM
Ms. Moonsigh:
Yeah, Dudo is a dose of reality.
Hahahaha
The Ride A Bike thing? Hilarious.
And I have a friend who has slight dislexia and I panic when he asks me to give him directions.
XOXO
Sixpence Notthewiser:
Not unlike getting the bowling scores from my brother. I have years of experience in creative interpretation.
If for some reason I ever find myself alone with San Geraldo, remind me to take a map. Love the picture of dudo!
Mistress Borghese:
No worries. If he’s responsible for getting there, he prints a map, the phone number, the address, and any possibly pertinent information. We went out last night to a restaurant he found online. He handed me 7 pieces of paper.
Ridebike en Español screws with my head. I understand the pronunciation… But they should have made it originally in Español and not English
Adam:
Like in the USA, many places are deemed more exotic if they have foreign names. Like in the USA, they often don’t get it right.
Oh, good grief, Scoot! I probably would have pronounced it the same way! I am also a member of the I Get Lost in My Backyard Club. I’ve seen the look that Dudo is giving, only it’s been on Balder Half’s face. Of course, when one marries a homing pigeon it’s to be expected.
Deedles:
Since my Spanish is better than his, SG leaves me to do all the talking. As a result, and because I’ve explored so much of the city, he lets me lead him around and doesn’t even bother concentrating on how he got there. His mother used to get lost in our first house in Connecticut. She could never find the front door.
Awww…. Dudo looks so concerned!
Kelly:
Dudo is so caring (sometimes).
Dudo looks rightfully concerned!
Bob:
That’s probably the look Carlos would get.
Dudo’s saying “SG forgot the map? AGAIN?!” Jx
Jon:
He doesn’t understand why we would want to be out on the street.
Rossellimac sounds like “McBissel’s”? Really?
I think the thing that threw you about Ridebike (aside from the fact that you’re in Spain) is that they have it all as one word. Which looks weird.
Steve:
That’s a moment inside SG’s head. As for Ridebike. The one-word structure is a big part of it. And no one suggested Ride-a-bike.
Maybe the two of you should meet us in Edinburgh in early May. we can probably find a McBissell’s there. If they rent E bikes, you should give one a spin, “what’s the worst that can happen?” On second thought.
David:
What fun that would be, although McBissell is a Spanish firm, so they probably don’t have one there. They might just have Apple stores. And I think I’ll at least try to keep both feet on the ground.
Dudo is thinking “McBissells???”
wickedhamster:
Dudo just doesn’t understand us. And to think he’s bilingual.
Overwhelmed with curiosity, I found this gem via Google: https://www.thedickinsonpress.com/opinion/columns/hopes-corner-a-mop-to-remember
wickedhamster:
I wish I had known Moppie McBissell, but I do know Sissel McBissell. I’ve been talking about hiring Schiffer Swiffer. I wonder if she’s related to Slippy.
Haaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Judy C:
Stick with us. We won’t let you down.
Dudo is astonished by both of you. I can get lost crossing the street. I try to park in pretty much the same place when I go to Costco or the grocery store, but I swear the car moves itself while I’m shopping. It’s a good thing I can use the key fob to honk the horn. I follow the sound until I reach the car.
Love,
Janie
janiejunebug:
I’ve had dreams about losing a car and pressing the key fob in every direction. It’s always helped in the past but in my dream it never works.