What Time Is It? It's BLUE!

Yesterday morning I was walking home from the bakery with my two loaves of yummy French bread, when a lady stopped me on the street and asked me something. Oh no... I didn't have a clue what she was asking! With my hands on my heart I said, "Desole, je parle un petit peu Francais." I'm sorry, I only speak a very little bit of French. She smiled, gently took my wrist and pointed to my watch! Oh, of course, she was asking for the time! Groan!!! I've learned that many times in my french classes of the past. Why can't I catch it on the street?? I must have a mental block! Why?

Well, about eight months ago I purchased a beautiful blue sofa from a local used furniture shop nearby. They were to deliver it on a certain day, in the afternoon. I was at home, waiting for them, when the phone rang! Oh no! Not the phone! Panic sets in.

It was like the commercial with the dog listening to the owner talk: blaa, blaa, blaa... Only I heard: blaa, blaa, blaa, color, blaa, blaa, blaa, color? So, I answered back in French: BLUE, BLUE!! I heard grumbling on the other end. "Color, color???" Again, I answered, BLUE! I couldn't figure out why they were asking me what color my sofa was? How odd.

A few hours later, after they delivered the sofa, shaking their heads at me, it dawned on me what had happened. They were asking something like, "Quelle heure est-il?" Which means, what time is it? "Quelle heure" is pronounced: [kell-UHR], or, to the panic stricken ear: [col-OR]!!!

So, if you ever ask me, "What time is it?", don't be surprised if I answer: BLUE!