After an hour of happily doing knit-like things (see picture) on the plane ride home this afternoon, the 60-ish Croatian lady next to me gestured. Her husband, who spoke only a few words of English, translated enough for me to figure out she wanted to borrow my other set of needles and yarn. I offered her a choice of the white or the rainbow colored. She took the white.
In what seemed like only a minute she:
- counted out the cast ons using the “thumb” method: neki dva troje cetiri pet sest sedam osam devet deset;
- added two rows each of knits and purls. I think she was offering some hints;
- showed me the result and said “lagan” (easy!)
- pulled the thing apart, thanked me then left to go to the toilet.
Dang she was quick. I tried to emulate what she had done with the other ball of yarn and big needles, but after tiredly flailing, I finished off the row of my red thing and put my stuff away.
I need to practice more.
You can knit in Croatian??!! I’m so impressed!
And I think your red thing is pretty.
(I’d kill to hear that couple trying to convince their American friends that some guy from Texas was knitting on the plane… yeah, sure, right.)
They let you *knit* on planes! Eeek. In Oz I think knitting needles are still on the banned list – you could take an eye out with those things.
Lovely story though! 🙂
Susan: Thanks. The couple might find it easier to claim they had drank to excess rather than pursue such a wild tale.
Rachael: Don’t give TSA any more wacky ideas. These are the same folks who are currently very worried that my chap-stick could be fabricated into a weapon of mass improbability. (Though to their defense – ha ha – I was finally compelled to toss the sooooo expired spool of Rolaids (antacid). Rolaids are a step from Menthos. And you’ve no doubt seen what Menthos will do when mixed with diet Coke, a beverage readily available on flights with Coca-Cola products.)
For example: Metal needles could be used to short out the airline entertainment system, allowing subliminal “activation” messages to be sent to everyone on the plane. The sudden interest in solitaire lulls the previously attentive flight attendants into inattentiveness. (Think Manchurian Candidate.) The sudden bing of the seat belt light going off triggers everyone to run to the back of the plane to pee, shifting the plane’s center of gravity to a stall condition. The pilot, who’s jolted away from cleaning his concealed handgun, recovers, only to be bitten in an improbable place by those MF snakes.
You’ve taken up knitting? WOW! Cool. I’m at a stage in my life where I think knitting is the solution to every problem.
The latest indication of this philosophy: A friend at work tells me she has heart trouble. My first thought was, “I gotta teach her to knit. Knitting can slow your heart-rate just like mediatation.”