#76 Mashamee Opennwalla

While on a family excursion to Zion National Park we decided to bask under a large shade tree while the three girls played tag (a cute thing in and of itself). Not long after their game was under way, two children meandered over and began to watch them intently. Soon our girls came back to where we were sitting and the two strangers kept their gaze fixed on them. So, naturally, the assumption was that they wanted to join in the fun but lacked the invitation. Commence invitation:

My mom (did I mention she was there? She was): (very sweetly) Hello children, would you like to play with these girls?

Children: (Confused, blank stare)

My mom: Oh, do you not speak English? (not uncommon in Zion)

The older girl: (in broken English) No. Only a little.

Taylor: Mashamee opennwalla vimancholen blagadad?

Yes. Thank you Taylor. If you've ever wondered how difficult it might be to stifle laughter at something quite spontaneously funny in hopes that it doesn't translate into mockery, I can tell you: it's difficult. Especially when she continued on, "Mmleem mmlorasha mokeda?" I'm pretty sure she was going for Spanish. Yeah. Dora hasn't helped much.