Laughter with a Foreign Accent (continued from November 23 post)

Here is one of my lost in translation (Laughter with a Foreign accent) stories I promised.  In previous post I shared some of my beginner English mistakes, but later, naturally, my English moved up, and along with that my mistakes in English became trickier for English speakers. So, I already was seriously dating my future husband, and we went to his friend’s Birthday party.  It was a typical gathering with a lot of unknown (at least for me) people, beer and mingling.  My husband (boyfriend at that time) was talking to someone and I mingled around trying to engage into interesting conversation.  I took a beer and finally I saw Eric, my husband friend I knew already.  He just showed up at the party, and we sat at sofa to drink and chart.  I don’t remember how but sooner or later the conversation switched to families.  He told me he would go to visit his parents soon, and I added that we also are planning to see my boyfriend’s parents next weekend.  “Yes!  I remember his Dad. I met him many years ago!  How was he?”-Eric exclaimed.  “Well, he retarded from his job”,- I told calmly.  Erik seemed to be very surprised and looked kinda worried. “Really?  I didn’t know”.  “Yes”, – I continued. –“ It happened earlier than usual, but what to do.”  “And what his office did?”-asked Erik.  “I guess they paid him good check for that, ..I hope”.  “Oh! Wow! It should be terribly difficult for you, guys!”  Not really-it maybe difficult for his wife, but she is still working, so she is not always home.” “Sooner or later we all going to be in this situation,-“ I added philosophically. “I don’t know about everybody-I hope I never will be”, -nodded Erik.  “You just think that now! “-I smiled optimistically.   Then my husband found us.  He greeted Erik enthusiastically.  “Hey, Dude”-said Erik “Sorry about your Dad-I didn’t know.”  What’s about him?” Yulia just told me he’s retarded or senile?  I had no idea!”  “Oh, really?” I saw a wide smile on my boyfriend’s face. “I thought he was just retired.”   Erik and him both looked at me and I understood that something was wrong, I feel these things very quickly.  Then they both started to laugh terribly loud and when I got what happened I unwillingly joined them.  I wasn’t sure though that his dad would laugh about it as well.