In México there is a fairly common saying: "Las habas se cuecen en todas partes" or "En todos lados se cuecen habas". The phrase literally means "Broad beans cook the same everywhere" or as we might say in English, "Things are the same all over". Yesterday I overheard the following conversation between my wife's sister and her 10 year old daughter:
"Oye hija, no olvides traer un suéter por si las moscas". ("Listen daughter, don't forget to take a sweater just in case".) [Note: "por si las moscas" is an idiomatic expression that means "just in case" and has nothing to do with flies (moscas)]
"¿Por qué Mamá?". ("Why Mother?")
"Porque ya está siguiendo tarde y después de que se meta el sol va a hacer mucho frío". ("Because it is already getting late and after the sun sets it will get very cold".)
"¡Pero Mamá!. Ninguna de mis compañeras va a traer un suéter". (But Mother, not one of my friends is going to bring a sweater".)
"Ni modo hija. ¡Haz lo que te dice tu Mamá!" ("It doesn't matter Daughter. Do what your Mother tells you!")
"¡Ay! Sí Mamá, lo que tu digas". ("Uhhhh! Okay Mother, whatever you say".)
Well, I had a "Sweater Mom" too. Whenever my Mom felt cold she made me put on a sweater. The thing is that my Mom was usually right and now that she is gone I miss her dearly. Peer pressure is one thing but common sense is another. So when you go out in the evening do what your Mom always told you…don't forget to take a sweater, or a jacket, or an umbrella. You already know what your mother would tell you. Just listen...
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About Me
- Bob Mrotek
- I was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. I have been living in Mexico since January 6th, 1999. I am continually studying to improve my knowledge of the Spanish language and Mexican history and culture. I am also a student of Mandarin Chinese.
2 comments:
Yep, you're right, Moms the world over are pretty much the same. :)
I always said that to my kids. "Put a sweater on." Sometimes they'd put it on and as they walked down the street, I'd go out and see if they still had their sweaters on and sometimes they did and sometimes they didn't. When that happened, I would find myself shouting at them so that they could hear me, "Put on your sweaters!!" They would turn around, wave, and put them on. Yep, moms are that way.
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