Off We Go Into the Wild Blue Yonder by Travis Nichols

Author:Travis Nichols
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-56689-270-4
Publisher: Coffee House Press
Published: 2010-12-07T16:00:00+00:00

Dear Luddie,

Before we left Chicago I asked the Bombardier in my old familiar language how he studied Polish.

He knew I had failed completely in high school trying to learn your language, so he knew he was the authority on your language now.

“When I studied Polish,” the Bombardier said, “is quite a story.”

He patted me on the back and picked some lint off of his trousers.

“When I studied Polish,” he said, “I was seated across from an old Slavic languages professor in a dark wood-paneled room filled with old books. This was at the University, where I studied on the G.I. Bill.

“The old Slavic languages professor was from the Ukraine, and he came over to the United States between the wars.

“This old Slavic languages professor from the Ukraine leaned close and asked me, in Polish, what I studied as a major.

“His breath had the faintest pinch of garlic.

“In Polish, I said, ‘I am studying political science.’

“The old Slavic languages professor asked me, in Polish, where I was from.

“In Polish, I said, ‘I’m from here. The Midwest.’

“The old Slavic languages professor asked me, in Polish, what I did in the war.

“In Polish, I said, ‘I dropped bombs on the Nazis.’

“Then, out of turn, I asked in English, ‘When will I take the test?’

“The old Slavic languages professor answered, in Polish, ‘You just did.’”

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.