Football

Last week, someone called Route 66:  “Hello. I need two interpreters tomorrow afternoon, one for Portuguese and the other for English. If the English interpreter also knows some French, that would be even better, because they’d be interpreting for a Frenchman who’s going to speak in English. The job involves translating colloquial, sport-related language. There will be a group of journalists and the interpreters will have to help them when they’re bombarded with questions.”

“No problem. Carlos will take care of the Portuguese and Jon the English/French.”

“Thanks.”

The next day, at the Príncipe Felipe Science Museum, the interpreters meet the person in charge.

“OK, so who is the Portuguese interpreter?”

“I am,” answered Carlos.

“Well, come with me now and I’ll introduce you to Kaká,” said the woman.

“Kaká the footballer?!”asked an amazed Carlos.

“Yes, didn’t you know?” she replied.

“No,” I interrupted, speaking as the representative of the Route 66 translation department, “but it’s fine. So, who will I be interpreting for?”

“Well, as Márquez is Mexican and speaks Spanish perfectly, you’ll have to help Henry,” she replied.

“Thierry Henry who plays for Barça?!”

“Yes, but, did no-one tell you this? Ah, of course, security precautions… We don’t want the place to fill up with journalists and particularly not with kids…”

“Of course, of course,” agreed the interpreters.

So, there we were with the three football stars, having a kick about, helping them in their press conferences and interviews and, mostly Henry and I, having a laugh. In other words the ideal job.

They were very pleasant: it seems that Route 66’s translators and interpreters are efficient and friendly.

And not to mention the drinks reception when we’d finished…. It was just a shame they couldn’t stay longer to chat with us some more.

P.S. When they send me the photo, I’ll show it to you. Just to make you jealous