Talking Total Bolado, Part 2

(I have just moved into a new apartment with my husband. I run into our next-door neighbor and strike up a relatively friendly conversation with him. Towards the end of the conversation, this happens.)

Neighbor: “Do you speak any Español?”

(I studied for three years but it’s been a while, so I give a very short but confident answer.)

Me: *In Spanish* “A little.”

Neighbor: *correcting, in Spanish* “VERY little.” *In English* “Anyway, my wife doesn’t speak a lick of English. You should come over some time. She can brush you up on your Spanish.”

(I am a little offended but let it go. My husband runs into our neighbor’s wife a little while later and chats with her, not knowing anything about the conversation I had earlier.)

Me: *confused* “What do you mean you talked to her? You don’t speak Spanish.”

Husband: “Umm… I’m pretty sure neither does she. We were talking in English, and she doesn’t even have an accent.”

(I never quite believed anything our neighbor said after that.)