Happy Sábado ☕
Today we are in Bogotá, Colombia.
A living room.
Two sisters.
One old couch that nobody asked for.
The older one is about to say a thing that shuts the whole argument down, and she is going to say it with a smile.
The phrase is short. It is a little sharp.
And it is one hundred percent right.
THE SCENE 🖼️
Lucía: Ay, Valentina. Llegaron los de la mudanza y me dejaron ese sofá horrible en la sala.
The movers came and left that ugly couch in my living room.
Valentina: ¿Cuál sofá? ¿El marrón de mamá?
Which couch? Mom's brown one?
Right away, Valentina knows which one. The way she said "el marrón de mamá" tells you. She has opinions about this couch. She has had them for years.
Lucía: Ese mismo. Es viejo, es feo, y no combina con nada.
That one. It is old, it is ugly, and it does not go with anything.
Valentina: Pero te lo regaló mamá, Lucía.
But mom gave it to you, Lucía.
Lucía: Ya sé. Pero igual es horrible.
I know. But it is still horrible.
She is not really asking for advice. She just wants someone to agree with her. Valentina is not going to do that.
Valentina: Oye, a caballo regalado no se le mira el diente.
You don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
Lucía: No me vengas con refranes ahora.
Don't come at me with proverbs right now.
There it is. Valentina dropped the phrase flat, like she was putting a cup down on a table. No drama. Just: the conversation is over, and you know I am right.
Valentina: Es que es verdad. Mamá te lo dio con cariño.
It is just the truth. Mom gave it to you with love.
Lucía: Sí, sí. Con mucho cariño y sin preguntarme si lo quería.
Yes, yes. With a lot of love and without asking me if I wanted it.
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