“I lit a candle”の意味は？

 人気テレビドラマ『Law and Order』を観ながらETCマンツーマン英会話のロレット先生(西大井/熊谷)のレッスンを受けています。Law and Orderはロレット先生お薦めのテレビ番組。ドラマの前半は刑事が容疑者を追跡し逮捕するまで、後半は弁護士や判事がその事件の被告にどのような判決を求めるのか裁判の様子を描いた、2段仕立てのストーリーになっています。刑事と容疑者、弁護士と裁判官、そして刑事同士、弁護士同士と様々な人々が交わす、様々なタイプの英語に触れることができます。

さて、今日はこんな場面から。“he was pissed”とは、どのような意味なのでしょうか?

Joe Fontana:
The only problem with this little fairy tale is this, you told Michelle that you were going to straighten Billy out that night.
Lay the law down to him.
Vince:
Yeah, Yeah, I was talking trash because I don’t want to look like a punk.
But believe me, I lit a candle.
I don’t run into the guy.

“I lit a candle” means I prayed.

===

Why lit a candle? In churches, particularly Catholic churches, in churches, you see in the movies sometimes, on the side of a church, maybe there are racks of candles, small candles, and a little box to put coins in usually.
So a little bit like lighting the incense in oriental temples, Japanese, Chinese temples, you light the incense, it’s kind of a similar idea.
You light a candle usually you put a coin.
The coin is basically paying for the candle.
Put the little coin in the box, kind of like a 賽銭箱 and you light the candle and pray for something usually, for something.
So what he was saying is “I lit a candle” means I prayed that I wouldn’t meet Michaelle’s old boy friend.

running into
ばったり出くわす

 ■テーマにしたダイアログ

・『LAW & ORDER』　シーズン15第3話「正当防衛」THE BROTHERHOOD

■出演
・ETCマンツーマン英会話のロレット先生(西大井/熊谷)

■聞き手
・青樹洋文

◆使用楽曲 (BGM)
“Movie Star * (The Making Of X) by Loveshadow

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