ages ago in oman, i had a friend who was so awesome. like, swedish supermodel who adored her gorgeous and witty italian husband and her three gorgeous and witty babes and spoke four languages. i still miss hanging out with her. they don't make a lot of women like that in my current neighborhood.
the point of this is that, if she didn't like another woman, she would call her a cow. i thought that was funny and rather mild, and i was always a little shocked when our other international friends would take instant offense. i kind of thought something was lost in translation, do you know?
fast-forward to last night, when grae wouldn't let lillie in front of the bathroom mirror. as an aside, can i tell you that this home is insanely mirror-heavy and there still aren't enough for those girlies three.
and lillie called grae a pig.
{insert brawl here.}
part of me is happy that they're not using the language i hear coming from, say, their busmates' mouths. but the other part of me is taking away their electronics and telly privileges for the weekend. i told them that sisters don't call each other animal names. sisters don't fight. if they don't have each other, they have nothing.
grae shrugged and replied we'll always have esmé.
{insert brawl here.}
have you ever been called a name that set your temper on fire? tell me...
8 comments:
ha! "we'll always have Esme" ha ha ha! First of all, your friend in Oman sounds a lot like you and yours....anyone else notice that? :) Let's see....any names...well, I got called a "dog" a lot when I was young and awkward. And as much as you know I LOVE dogs...I don't think it was a compliment. And I didn't take it as such.....hated that.
xo
Melis
Ha ha! I agree; "We'll always have Esme," is hilarious. I grew up one of three and it's true that if two of use were feuding, the one thing we would always agree on was the third's marvelousness.
As for animal names....I have a friend (Brit) who also uses "cow" as a put-down. Actually she most often says "daft cow". It cracks me up. But, if you know French, calling someone a cow is the same as calling him or her a b*tch. So...it all depends on what language you're speaking as to whether or not calling someone a barnyard animal is a "gentler" insult than schoolyard chatter.
Happy New Year Karey! Thank you for blogging. I enjoy reading your words. (One of my resolutions is to tell the bloggers I love how much I appreciate their posts.)
... we'll always have esme..
best line in blog--
well, except for your analysis of neighborhood ladies...
in college, me & my best friend could use any & all curse words without flinching-- does this shock you? & then I aged & mellowed...
so in answer if anyone ever called ME a name I wouldn't have cared.
melis is right, are you sure the friend you spoke of isn't y-o-u? the family sounds oh so familiar.
i have a friend who calls the less 'look twice worthy' gals, sows. for some reason, i always snort with laughter when she does this. completely cruel, but so damn funny. i feel badly just admitting it.
"we'll always have esme"... such wit :).
i'm sure i've been called many, but thanks to selective memory, I can't seem to recall (which is probably a good thing).
My girlfriend from high school always used to call guys that cut her off in traffic "meatballs." When I asked her about this she replied that "it makes them think, which eventually drives them nuts." I still use "meatball."
there was a period in college where everyone i met seemed to say things like, "oh i have a dog named annie!" i even dated a boy (not for very long) who said annie sounded like a dog's name. boo. i don't know what to make of it. the worst i can think of, though, is the time last year my mom told me i was irritating. i don't even want to write it down because then it's harder to tell myself i didn't hear it.
but the world WILL always have esme. :)
If only I'd placed this card on the last two bicycles I used to own... Maybe things would have turned out different.
Post a Comment