I guess my memory still manages every now and then, but apparently, it works best on the older stuff. It seemed to me that I remembered an old I Love Lucy episode in which there were a number of people working together to perform a translation. I was right. I looked it up and the episode is titled “Paris at Last.” It seemed that while they were in Paris, as usual Lucy got them in trouble. So they are stuck in a Paris police station with 2 policemen, a stranger and Lucy could not explain her situation to the desk sergeant. So, she explained it to Ricky, who also knew Spanish, of course. Ricky explained it to the stranger who knew Spanish and German. The stranger explained it to the policeman who knew German and French. Then he explained it to his boss.
Oddly, while I was chasing down the episode, I found out that there were actually several such instances in Europe, though the string was not quite as long. I guess it does make us appreciate the computerized translators we now have access to, even though they might not be perfect.
However, the story I was really after was one from West Wing. I did enjoy that show, though I did find it leaned a little left. For those who read my post, “Humorous Things, Mostly,” I did find this show very humorous almost every week. At first, my memory partially failed me. I couldn’t remember if that was the show that had this episode, so I looked it up… and yes it was one of the better ones. The title of the episode was “Lost in Translation,” and it kept me laughing almost all the way through it. Like “Paris at last,” several people performed a translation.
It all started when those responsible for receiving foreign dignitaries realized that they just might have overlooked something. So, in a panic, they started looking a translator that could speak English as well as the little known foreign language. As you can imagine, they could find no one. However, they did manage to gather 6 or 7 people who, together could do the job, one of these, the head cook.
As you can imagine, when the dignitary arrived, they apologized as they explained that it was the best they could do. Then too, you can imagine one spoke to the one who spoke to the other who…. Well, you have the idea.
Amid out-roars of laughter, they were managing, though it was something like an awkward game of telephone. Finally the visitor suggested, “Don’t you think this would all be much simpler if I just spoke English?”
It was of course the punchline which they performed far better than I can portray here. I suppose there were those who expected it, but I certainly didn’t It was all carried out very well and it simply never occurred to me that the man could speak English, though, nowadays, English is likely the most common second language in the world. Common sense tells me that most heads-of-states do speak English, at least to some degree.
Both stories, especially “Lost in Translation,” prompted me to a thought. When we, who hardly know anything, accept Jesus as our Savior, we are permitted access to the King. And guess what. He understands our language. No chance whatsoever of anything being lost in the translation. Why would anyone want to pass up a opportunity like that?
In itself, it just about makes it worthwhile accepting Jesus as our Savior, which allows us to talk to the creator of the universe, Himself. By the way, their are many other benefits too, some which last forever.
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