La Plama?

I dashed out the door with my messenger bag late for work this morning, only to find an older hispanic guy in a gardening outfit standing motionless on the lawn and staring at me. I realized the dog probably scared the crap out of him when he rushed the screen door a few minutes earlier. Apparently my dog is a screaming racist. I made an attempt to submit an "oh hey- sorry". Then he said something and started toward me. I was thinking, "uhhhh, dude- the dog didn't get out, you're fine."

Me: Yeah, hey, what's up.

Him: *points near top of trees on side of house* la plama

Me: huh, *I turn and squint into the sun looking up*

Him: La plama

Me: I don't, what are we looking at here?

Him: *points again* La plama

Me: I... a bird? Am I looking for a bird? All I see is trees. I gotta go to work, man.

Him: My frien, La Plama

Me: Dude, I dont see this La Plama you speak of... Not calling you a liar, i'm sure you see it... is it a frisbee??

Him: *this goes on for a while until he reaches into pocket and pulls out landscaping business card* My Frien, cut la plama.

He was asking if I wanted him to trim the palm trees on the side of our house. I was staring at the "Plama" the whole time. I don't think i've ever felt more like an impatient, stuffy white guy in my life. In my defense he was mispronouncing a word in his own language- probably in an effort to translate it. I took his card and said thanks. So now I have a 'Palmera' guy.