Plautdietsch word of the day: Beleidicht
Example:
Nettie Enns felt that she was almost past her prime marrying age. She was about to turn 22 and desperate. She’d never considered herself as a “Susie home-maker” and hadn’t helped out enough at home to learn how to cook. Nonetheless, she decided to put herself out there when she heard that the Henry Klassens were coming to visit and bringing along their youngest son John. Nettie felt this might be her last chance to snag a possible candidate for a husband. She offered to cook a dinner of klops and potato salad, which she felt would be enough to get her noticed.
Saturday 6:00 arrived and the Klassens showed up at the door. Nettie’s parents greeted them and immediately showed them to the table. The conversation died down as everyone began eating. The klops were still almost raw and the potato salad had a texture like gnurple. Everyone seemed to suddenly be quite filled up except for John who was undaunted and finished his klops and potato salad without flinching. Nettie was embarrassed and amazed! John loved her cooking! (or so it seemed). This had to be the man for her!
So was it love at first bite for John? On the way home, his parents asked him, how he was able to eat the mostly raw klops and half cooked potato salad? John replied that he didn’t want make Nettie feel beleidicht.
Beleidicht: offended / hurt feelings.
Did Nettie snag her true love, get married and order take-out food happily ever after? Or was she destined for spinsterhood after having ruined her last chance with raw klops and horrid potato salad? Alas, maybe the endings of some stories are better left untold ;-)
