Out Of The Blue

After I retired from my job as a medical librarian, I switched careers and became a freelance court interpreter. My past life as the proverbial wandering Jew moving from one country to another and learning many languages along the way has finally paid off for me.

Last year, I perused the New York Times early one morning and noticed a small item: "Mars has added blue to its M&M candies." Later that evening, my husband and I went to the movies. I purchased a package of M&Ms at the refreshment stand, entered the theater and took my seat. As I opened the bag of candies, the woman sitting next to me said, "I hope you find some blue ones." Laughing, I answered, "If not, I will sue." The man who accompanied my neighbor handed me his card and said, "If you need a lawyer…" I quickly dug my own card out from my pocketbook, handed it to him, and said, "If you need an interpreter…"

Months later, I received a call. A man whose voice and name I did not recognize introduced himself. He was the lawyer from the movie theater. He had made good use of my card. He needed a translation and I was able to accommodate him. An assignment came from blue M&Ms, or from "out of the blue."