Shmulik just left to go to his fiancée’s house.
“I left,” he announced with a wave of his arms and a smile on his face.
“You haven’t left – you’re standing there,” I correct him with a matching smile on my face. “I am leaving.” It’s that English as a second language thing…or so I thought.
“Elvis has left,” he said. “the building…AND the house.” He said with a grin and walked out the door.
Moments early, he had called his commanding officer to find out what time they would meet tomorrow morning. It was later than Shmulik thought it would be and so he is excited by how much longer he can sleep.
I wondered how much Shmulik knows about Elvis Presley – and so I call him back and asked, “Who is Elvis?”
“What?” he asks, his thoughts already on where he is going and not what he said.
“You said Elvis has left…who is Elvis?”
He hesitated for a moment and then answered, “He’s the one who’s your age.” By that he means someone older than him. I have no idea where he heard the phrase…maybe I’ll find something on YouTube and show him Elvis Presley and then, to really shock him, I’ll tell him his father used to love Elvis’ songs.
It is, forever with my children, that blend of cultures – American and Israeli. They know pieces, names, thoughts. Apparently, Elvis is one of them.
I’m always amazed at bits and pieces that my boys pick up of ASmerican culture, mostly it seems to come from films….
Rickismom: if your boys are picking up American culture from Elvis films, they are most certainly NOT getting the best of American culture. 🙂 While Elvis was a very talented singer, I think most people recognize his acting abilities were… shall we say “overrated”?
Paula, your reaction to his phrase “Elvis has left the building” should have been “Thank you, thank you very much.” using your best Elvis impersonation! 🙂