Tuesday, July 27, 2010

So, this boy walks up to a bar and...



...his name is Max. And it just so happens the pool bartender is making slushees. And she has grape.

"UR-UL!!! UR-UL!!!" Max says.

As his faithful translator, I do my job: "He is really into purple," I say, "and he would like a purple slushee."

Max watches with glee as she proceeds to make said purple slushee. First she goes to pour a batch of ice into one of the blenders.

"Nooooooo," says Max, and he gestures at the empty blender standing next to it.

"He would like you to use the other blender," says his faithful translator.

The bartender looks a little perplexed, but it passes; surely she has heard all sorts of requests over the years, and at least this customer isn't inebriated or slurring his speech. OK, he IS slurring his speech but that's a whole other story.

She switches the ice to the second blender.

"Noooooooo," says Max, because he can be quite fickle that way.

"He'd like you to put the ice in the original blender," I say, matter-of-factly.

She switches blenders, no questions asked. Then she pours in the grape concoction and starts the whirring. Max is mesmerized. I am, too; a blender pulsating with purple is a wondrous site. Better even than lava lamps or other stuff we'd stare at in college when we were in a certain state.

Once it's slush-ified, she pours it into a cup and hands it over. Max literally does a Purple Slushee Happy Dance. He has to be the happiest customer she's had in a long time, despite the fact that she did not even put a tiny umbrella in there.

"UR-UL!" Max says, happily, and I give him a sip.

Ur-ul slushees rock.

14 comments:

  1. Sounds like Max has a great "translator". LOL! Super cute story.
    Isn't it fun sometimes when we know and understand them when others don't? What would they do without us? My son is over 2yrs and doesn't talk yet, but yet I know exactly what he wants and needs at all times. It can be entertaining at times though when I'm wrong :o)

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  2. "a certain state"- -that would be Massachusetts, right? :-)

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  3. "A blender pulsating with purple is a wondrous site." This made me happy. I think I must blend some purple tomorrow.

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  4. Yes, Sheryl. Of COURSE I meant Massachusetts. Silly.
    JennieB, I'd love to join you! And Crystal, yes, I do enjoy being Max's translator, even though I have yet to receive a paycheck.

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  5. Brilliant story ... it's the little things in life that many take for granted... I'm glad Max enjoyed his ur-ul slushie!!!

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  6. Hi! I follow you on Twitter (@listnlearnmusic) and saw your post title...my curiosity was piqued and I'm glad I clicked. What a great story! Thanks for sharing, and I'll be a regular visit from now on.

    Rachel

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  7. Though I do regularly follow your blog,(cuz it is the best and does ROCK...purple rocks to be exact) I too was very intrigued by this title. I couldn't wait to read it. Max is soo adorable, that bartender could learn a thing or two from him!
    Ellen, what is your feeling on sign language?? Just curious.

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  8. I wish Max could do sign language, Janet, but he lacks the dexterity to do the standard kind. He does have a bunch of signs--sleep, eat, potty, take me to the car wash NOW (he made that one up himself).

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  9. Great translation. Slushies are the best. We bought a very cool slushie maker from Target, I am sure they have purple. I have even added coffee for a creamy mommy slushie.

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  10. I love their excitement over the simplest things. Like the Max & Ruby dolls, it could be seen as baby-ish but isn't this precisely the trait that all kids lose that parents wish they had back? Their sense of wonder and joy is contagious...

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  11. Hailey is three and she also has a problem with dexterity, but she does do some basic sign, it helps keep the frustration level down to help u s to know what she wants even if she can't do it perfectly, however, the reason I ask is because recently she has started school, my son and daughter in law would rather her not continue her sign language because she has started using her voice. Similar to max, slight pieces of words. They are afraid if she learns sign she will try to use her words less. My husband and I think that it will only open her options for communication. We are still actively and aggressively learning sign because #1 it won't hurt us to know and #2 Hailey may need it one day and this way we will be able to teach her if she needs it. I just wondered how you felt because this is a sensitive subject with my family and we are not Hailey's parents so the final decision isn't ours to make, we only want to do what is best for her and we seem to disagree on this subject, I feel bad as if I may be going against my children's wishes, but I am going with my gut here. Thanks

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Thanks for sharing!



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