Life: Idiotropic

On Friday, the phone rang.

It was someone from the Caxton primary and the conversation began like it always does when they call.

     "Hello?"
     "Hello, Mrs. Stahlbaum?  This is [insert name here] from Caxton's Primary Office.  Don't worry.  Nothing has happened."

I never really know how to reply to this.

     "Thank you.  Yes?"

A marketing agency is looking for a girl's voice with an American accent.  The "school has nothing to do with it," but they passed along the name and number and soon I was on the phone with Africa Pons at Tabalet Estudis.

We made an appointment for today.

The studio is in a small white building attached to a larger "amarillo amarillo" building in Alboraya pretty much in the middle of horchata fields and farton factories.  

I saw Africa standing at the doorway waving to us as we pulled in.  The short nicely dressed woman led us in, seated us to wait, and before we'd sat, Eva was ready and leading us into her tiny recording studio complete with the huge sound boards with knobs and buttons.

Arianna went first then they proceeded in age order.  They each went into the recording room, padded like the the movies.  They had their headsets and sat on tall stools in front of the big microphone.

Eva explained that the translations weren't correct, but that it was just to play and practice and get an idea of the girls voices.  She read a line to Arianna.  Arianna answered back.  "Look!  It's Nancy and her pony Fantasy!"  Another line.  Repeat.  She was repeating the lines exactly as they were told to her - accent and all.

"Arianna," I'd interrupt, "say the words like an American, please.   Don't copy her accent."

All three of the girls listened to Eva say the sentences in her heavily accented English.  It was crazy.  My American kids were saying "bee-u-tee-ful" slow and precise.  They were saying simple words like "well" in perfect Spanish English -  "whale."

Eva didn't care.  She said they were there to play.  She played with the buttons and suddenly Arianna sounded like a chipmunk.  Aria laughed hysterically.  Luci's turn, more laughter.  Elise's turn, sulking.  Elise was taking this more seriously and just wanted to read the lines, not play.

We all had a good time.  They said they'll call us back.  They want to use one of the girls voices.  "Next time, I'll read the lines for the girls," I suggested.   We got a good laugh.  Eva and Africa are in full agreement.