A childhood belief about speaking

When I was a little girl, my Father would take us out for lunch at a new restaurant every Sunday after church. I remember back now...to a moment, when my father used humor to discipline us in public quietly. I did not happen to chance to a belief that was completely off the mark. For my father implanted this belief into my brain. Not realizing that I would "really" believe him. anyways...back to the story...on this particular Sunday my sisters and I got a little more rambunctous than was proper. As all kids do from time to time when out sitting quietly for too long in a freshly pressed dress. anyways...I noticed a no soliciting sign on the wall and asked my father..."What does no soliciting mean daddy?". He answered, "it means you can't spank your children in here." I interpreted his humorous answer to mean that I ought to calm down. Which is I think what he intended. but then...later in life...I would read those signs and wonder why people couldn't spank their children there. When I began dating my husband in 1993 and one day I went to meet him for dinner at his parent house. On the door was a "no soliciting" sign. I remember commenting to my then boyfriend..."You can't spank your kinds here?" upon arriving at the door. Rob looked at me and said something like, "what are you talking about?" I think I said, "well no soliciting means no spanking your kids here right?" My now husband Robert lovingly replied, "no it means you cannot try to sell something here." when he told me this as gently as he did I did believe him and my brain wandered back to that day when I first learned the meaning of "no soliciting". I had believed my father's humorous discipline most certainly longer than he expected. I never got the chance to tell him about this hilarious misunderstanding. maybe someday I will whoop it up with him once again. ;)