Shit the Help Says

I’m gonna start a new section call “Shit The Help Says.”  It is not meant to offend in any way.  I’m sure they could write a blog about my Indonesian. It’s just funny how the communication goes at the boundary between your native and non-native tongue.

I was in the car with the driver and we passed Monas.  The large park in the center of town with the very tall pinnacle commemorating Indonesian Independence.  There were scores of workers crawling over what looked to be a large, temporary sound stage.  

My driver says, “Oh!, They’re getting ready for the New Year’s party!”  

“What do you do on New Years, Pak?”, I asked.

“Oh, I’m too old.  I just send my kids now.  I used to go.  We’d listen to music, watch fireworks”  He formed his hand into a round shape and motioned it toward his mouth. “We make noise with the hore…”  

“I’m sorry?!” I said. Probably a little too loudly and too quickly..

“You know, a hore” And he made that shape and that motion again. “Toot, toot!”

“Oh, horN.”

“Yes, horn.  We make much noise”

I understood perfectly.