Expressions

Expressions

“You aren’t going to believe this,” Jane said quietly, sliding next to Mila on the bench. Mila said nothing.

“Mila! Are you listening. Hello? Mila!”

“Yes, I’m listening. But if you already know I won’t believe it, why are you telling me?”

“That’s just an expression.”

“What’s an expression?”

“It’s when you say something that means something else.”

“Why would you do that?”

“I don’t know, it’s just how people talk.”

“So, ‘you aren’t going to believe this’ actually means I am going to believe it? How can that be easier than just telling me the thing in the first place?”

“I don’t know, it’s just an expression.”

“What exactly does ‘expression’ mean? I thought expression meant the look on someone’s face.”

“Well it does... I don’t know why it’s the same word. That is kind of funny isn’t it.”

“I don’t know if it’s funny, but it is confusing.”

“I didn’t mean funny like you’d laugh at it. I meant funny like quirky, odd.”

“Funny means that too, why?”

“Frankly, I don’t know. I just know what it means when people say it like that.”

“I will never learn this language,” Mila said, “so what were you going to tell me?”

“What do you mean ‘this language’ it’s still English!

“Oh, I meant the sayings part... what were you going to tell me?”

“Huh...I forget... anyway the bell’s gonna ring, let’s get in line.”

Back on the ship Lieutenant Gress breathed a sigh of relief. “Artol, you’re going to need to do a little more training with these replacement spies!”

“I know, but the expressions change so fast on earth it’s hard to keep up!”

“Tell me about it.”

“Well the expressions are...”

“Artol! That’s just another earth expression!”

“Oh, my bad...”

“Your bad what?”

“Ahhhhh!”