やさしい英語会話 (240) Piano Delivery

世の中の仕事の中で、肉体的につらいものにはどのようなものがあるでしょうか。例えば重くて貴重なものを高いところまで運ぶ「ピアノの配達」は、体力と神経を人一倍使う仕事と言えそうです。



今回の会話に登場する二人は、ピアノの配達の仕事をつい最近始めたばかりのようで、男性の方は早くも音を上げ始めています。この仕事は二人の壮大な４年計画の一部だそうですが、それはどのような計画なのでしょうか。そして二人はその計画を成功させることができるのでしょうか…？



Image credit: KARRAX via Wikipedia. CC BY-SA 3.0.

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（初級〜中級）*** It's a Good Expression ***

（今回の重要表現）



a delivery person

配達人



to make it to

〜までたどり着く



My arms already feel like spaghetti!

もう腕が（伸びきって）スパゲッティみたいだ！

　

exhausted

消耗する、疲労する



can hardly do

なかなか〜できない

※あることが全くできないわけではなく、かろうじてできる時に使う。

「かろうじて〜（する）」の意味を持つものにbarelyがあるが、

同じ「かろうじてできること」を肯定的に捉える時にはbarely、

否定的に捉える時にはhardlyが使われる。



to jog one's memory

〜の記憶を思い出させる



to guarantee

保証する



build up core body strength

体の芯を強化する



to go well

うまく行く



attractive

魅力的な

※主に女性に対する形容詞で、男性にはgood-lookingの方が使われる。



a hopeless pervert

どうしようもない変態



Hold that thought.

ちょっと待って。

※相手の話を一時中断する必要がある時に使う。



to give out

動かなくなる



to ruin

〜を台無しにする



get 〜 to a hospital

〜を病院に連れて行く



*** Script ***



Piano Delivery



Kim and Bruce are attempting to carry a piano up 8 stories to deliver it to a client.



M: (panting) Remind me again why we decided to become piano deliverymen. This lady lives on the 8th floor, and we've only made it up to the third floor! My arms already feel like spaghetti!



W: It's piano delivery WOMAN! And I'll tell you why: this is all part of the four-year plan. Remember?



M: Um... I'm so exhausted right now that I can hardly remember my own mother's name! Why don't you jog my memory?



W: (sighs) Fine, Bruce. This is the last time I'm going to explain it to you.



M: I CAN'T guarantee that.



W: (huffing) Alright, the four-year plan is to work as piano delivery men... Ahem... piano delivery PEOPLE for two years in order to build up core body strength. Then, we spend the next two years training to be professional wrestlers. With the kind of strength we'll get from this job, we can become world champions!



M: Wait, that four-year plan? You actually still think that's gonna work? I'm just working this job so I can see the inside of all the attractive women's houses in this city!



W: You really are a hopeless pervert, aren't you?



M: Hold that thought. I think my back's about to give out!



W: You say something?



M: Gahhhhh!



(Bruce grimaces in pain and the cracking of his back is clearly audible. Bruce drops the piano and it falls down all three flights of stairs to its concrete grave.)



W: What the... Bruce?! Do you know what you've just done!? You've ruined the four-year plan!



M: Forget the four-year plan and just get me to a hospital! (shudders in pain)



(Written by David Shaner)