Out of the picture
(Finn is visiting Feifei)
Feifei: | Hi Finn. I am glad you could come to my house to take a picture of my special friend. |
Finn: | My pleasure, Feifei. I take pride in being a great photographer. I brought some of my best pictures. |
Feifei: | Let me have a look. |
Finn: | Yes. I took this one during a trip to Paris. |
Feifei: | I remember. The trip you took last summer with your girlfriend Ann. |
Finn: | Oh, Ann ... She is out of the picture. Look at the Eiffel Tower. I bet you've never seen it from this angle. |
Feifei: | And this other one ... |
Finn: | Yes, yes. This other one I took at a dinner party in my flat. |
Feifei: | Yes, with your flatmate Johnny. |
Finn: | My ex-flatmate "Dirty Socks" Johnny. He is out of the picture too. |
Feifei: | Finn, I can see him in this photo and ... you keep talking about having your friends out of the picture ... I want my friend to be in the picture! |
Finn: | Oh, Feifei, no. Ann and Johnny appear in some of my snaps. But Ann is not my girlfriend anymore. She ran away with a Frenchman ... |
Feifei: | Oh ... and what happened to Johnny? |
Finn: | "Dirty Socks" Johnny moved out. He used to leave his socks everywhere! |
Feifei: | Oh, so you are no longer in touch with them. |
Finn: | Exactly. In English, when we say someone is "out of the picture" we mean we don't count on them anymore. They are no longer involved in a particular situation. Let's hear some examples. |
Finn: So now that this is clear, where is your special someone? Shall we go out into the garden? The lighting is really good outside. I'll take a great picture!
Feifei: | Follow me.
(Outdoors) |
Feifei: | Here's my special friend! |
Finn: | But this ... Feifei, this is a hamster! |
Finn: | Yes! My pet's name is "Cutie Pie"! Oh my little sweetie, little friend! Isn't he cute, Finn? |
Finn: | He is not very photogenic, I'm afraid, Feifei. |
Feifei: | Come on, Finn. Look at him! (to the hamster) Sweetie yummy come to mummy. You're going to be in the picture! Yes, you are! |
Finn: | Oh dear! I can kiss goodbye to my career as a serious photographer ... |
Feifei: | Bye. |
Finn: | Bye. |