\u201cHi, how are\u201d?, I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh fine\u201d, he replied.<\/p>\n
\u201cGood Christmas?\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cGreat thanks. I spent it in Bruges.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u201d, I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBruges. I went to Bruges\u201d, he said, emphasising where he had been for Christmas.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow interesting\u201d, I said.<\/p>\n
He explained he likes to go there so he can practice his French and Portuguese.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou must be very clever\u201d, I said.\u201d You must have a big brain\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cI do agree with you on that\u201d. His response surprised me. He said it in such a matter-of-fact way. I don\u2019t think he was being big-headed.<\/p>\n
He went on to explain. \u201cAs well as learning languages, you learn about the people\u201d<\/p>\n
Me:\u201cSo, you must know a great deal about many different people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Him: \u201cI guess I do\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd, in different places\u201d, I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, in different places; across two continents\u201d.<\/p>\n
He then told me he was learning a fourth language. \u201cIt’s called Amarik\u201d. I had never heard of it. \u201cI am learning it so when I go over to\u00a0do voluntary work I can communicate properly with the community over there\u201d<\/p>\n
Just then, he saw he saw the Gym manager coming so he indicated to me that our little interaction was at an end.<\/p>\n
The next time I went to the gym, I saw him from a distance. He looked very different. He wasn\u2019t in his uniform- that funny plastic hat they\u00a0have to wear- but in dark trousers, long coat and an old fashioned brief case. He looked such a business man.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u12a5\u1295\u12b3\u1295 \u12f0\u1205\u1293 \u1218\u1321! Welcome!<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cHi, how are\u201d?, I said. \u201cOh fine\u201d, he replied. \u201cGood Christmas?\u201d I said. \u201cGreat thanks. I spent it in Bruges.\u201d \u201cWhat\u201d, I said. \u201cBruges. I went to Bruges\u201d, he said, emphasising where he had been for Christmas. \u201cHow interesting\u201d, I said. He explained he likes to go there so he can practice his French and … <\/p>\n