"All words are symbols that represent unspeakable realities. Which is also why words are magical." (Donald Miller tweet)

Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Can-AH-dah!

Yesterday afternoon, me and a 14-year-old boy played frisbee. He's in a rehab center for kids that run away from home, or that have done drugs, or whatever. It's an amazingly loving place, where they are educated, and treated with dignity and kindness. It changes their lives.

I rocked. You know, for an old chick who can't remember the last time she held a frisbee.

He cheerfully pushed aside other kids who wanted to join in, saying, "Pettyeh!" (Few can say my name here, but they all try.) "Pettyeh! Ahdyeen-ahdyeen!" ("one-on-one") Eventually I convinced him to let a couple others join the game.

He kept score, and thankfully I can count to 10 in Russian, so I knew what was happening, and could contribute. We both danced each time our score went up, and hollered, "Can-AH-da!" or "Oo-krayen!"

What a blast.

For the record, "Oo-krayen" won. But Can-AH-dah held its own. I didn't want to embarrass you.