Foreign Pick-Up Lines

I'm getting my hair(s) cut today when I hear this rather peculiar accent. It was the woman not cutting my hair. She was working on another gentleman's coif -- a middle-aged man who ran nursing homes out of Washington, D.C. for a living. She spoke eloquently. With a tinge of England and Ireland in her voice, but without the accent's natural rhythm. It was more guttural. More earthy. But not Scottish.

I assumed, in the end she was a stylist from England -- odd enough to find in the Grandview section of Columbus -- at a Great Clips no less. Quickly, I tried to place it. It didn't feel like an English brogue. Having worked with quite a few Brits, Celts, Scots and Kiwi's I tried to place her words on nursing homes into the mouths of those I had worked with. No luck.

Then the gentleman asked her where she was from. The answer to my inaudible inquiry at last! South Africa. Of course! I knew it was familiar. I knew it could be placed. South Africa!

In 2000 I spent 10+ weeks there on a mission trip with church. It was remarkable and amazing and trying and an unforgettable experience (except, obviously, for the accents). I remember little of the language however. Though I'm sure this woman before me spoke Afrikaans. That much I could place. Turns out the only language I remember from South Africa is Afrikaans.

Before I left in double aught, a friend who had been there before gave me some words to remember -- not telling me what they meant. One particular saying has stuck with me because of it's meaning. I won't phonetically write it out, nor try to spell it, only know that it was a pick up line, going something like this:

I am beautiful. Give me a kiss.

Of course, not knowing the meaning I decided to use it anyway. On the ladies. Let's just say it was a hit. With the Home League. And nursing homes.