“She looked at me with horror” – a missionary moment

When my husband and I were learning language in a new country, we would walk through the neighbourhood practicing the phrases our language helper had taught us.  Very early on in our learning, we were taught to ask “How do you say that in your language?” so we could learn new words.  One day, we stopped on a nearby street where a teenager girl was sweeping her yard.  I noticed a hen in the street and asked her how to say that, not knowing that behind me, a rooster had jumped on top of the hen.  She looked at me with horror, doubtless wondering why I wanted those words.  I had no idea what had happened, and continued to smile, waiting for the word “hen” in her language.  My husband was trying to contain his laughter but didn’t tell me what had happened until after the girl stammered out something and we walked away.  I was so embarrassed and I hoped I wouldn’t run into that girl again.