The Subject Doesn’t Tickle His Fancy

(My husband is from Manchester but he is currently studying a couple of courses in Sweden, to get access to our university. One of these is English, and we have just laughing about how he will sail through that one, after which he brings up the social science course.)

Husband: “Soo… political discussion at eight in the morning tomorrow. Oh, joy.”

(He is a bit tired and speaking sloppily, which makes political sound like ‘poly-tickle.’)

Me: “Oh, is that like polygamy, but instead of multiple wives you have multiple—”

Husband: “—governments screwing you over?”

Me: “Uh, well, I was going for multiple people tickling you, but okay.”

Husband: “Tickling? What do you mean?”

Me: *slowly and pronounced* “Poly-tickle?”

Husband: “Er… uh, oh! You get points for that one. It went completely over my head!”

Me: “Hey, looks like that English course might be useful for you after all!”