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Now, Just Now, or Now Now

There is this weird thing in SA and I learned today that mistakes are not welcome when it comes to "now." Because I am not working in an office or part of anything organized really, I don't get the opportunities Jake does to learn how things are said, what they mean, where they are, etc. In other words, I am a slow foreign learner.

A few weeks ago my friend Sandy (across the street neighbor) was going to come over for a glass of wine. She said, "I'll be there just now." So I quickly open a bottle of white, pour her a glass, and add the ice that she likes. After all, she just lives across the street and she said she would be here now. Twenty minutes later she arrives. This is when I got my first lesson on "just now." I would equate "just now" in South Africa to "in a few minutes" everywhere else. So I learned not to pour the wine and add the ice if she is coming just now.

And then there is "now now." Now now means now. I didn't even know "now now" existed. Can you see how this gets confusing? And I've used the word now to mean NOW for so many years that it is automatic. This is where the problem came in today.

I stopped by the doctor’s office to pick up a prescription and rumor has it they are "between office assistants" (this is not really a rumor...I heard it from the one they do have but I thought by saying "rumor has it" I would sound connected to some inner circle). Anyway, the phone was ringing, there were people waiting and it was general chaos. I stood there and waited until she said, "Can I help you just now?" Perfect. I say, "I'm Jessie Elson and I am here..." She jumps in rudely as she picks up the phone, "I said I can help you just now." Me, "Ok, I just need to pick up a prescription."

And then I remembered...just now = hang on just a minute there sister. I had really made her mad, understandably, and I wanted to explain so badly that this foreigner’s light bulb had just gone on for this rather odd thing they say here.

Oh well. Lesson learned.

Talk to you just now.

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