She and her silent, but deafening, unit, often overtaken as a pair, are given into a zone of words, which, this time of year, are rarely defined, except in the breach of a witness's contract. I have held her as a shield against my closest foreign relation who defies the weakest clods that our troubled world has to offer. Whenever she gripes about those taller than her, and expresses the wish that they would exit without fuss, I remind her of a time not so long ago when she agreed to meet me near the property of our common ancestor. He led a revolution in the fashions of his day. It was long over before those who would go on to form my very vicious panel would engage the nerve to install a rank codicil at the insistence of a pettifogging farmer's loan officer. Often in these matters, someone will go on to say the one thing that everyone else is afraid to utter. Now, even I have one.
When a person I knew as a baby grew up to become my flight surgeon, I could count on the fingers of one hand the times she asked whether I had any idea how unusual that was. It showed that she cared even when I caught her stealing a framed picture of an unwanted table. I insisted that I could elevate her legs. She pronounced me a source of evil. I gave her the benefit of the doubt. Then I had a sandwich. Now I'm looking to hide a small pellet somewhere near the property I own in a neighboring township. It won't be easy because some folks around there pay very close attention. You'd think they would once in a while strive to give a different impression. But you'd be wrong. And that wouldn't be the first time, I'm afraid.
Now when, through no one's fault at all, a group of strangers are stranded on a nearby continent, the phrase they use to describe their feelings is one that I myself once used. But that was before all notes were consolidated into a trim packet. The safest course is to double up your billing profiles and hope for clearer sightlines. If you act as if an entanglement is one for the books, you might find yourself to be more correct than is commonly supposed. It strikes some of us that in our current predicament a freshly composed lament would hit the spot. If anyone tries to remove that kind of spot they could experience a troubling sensation. There's no pill for that, is all I'm saying. Try not to leak this passage.
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Not to be persnickerdeeeeee..
ReplyDeleteWhenever she gripes about those taller than her...
Shouldn't it be "she" unless you missed a word or two and meant to imply that she gripes about a thing that is taller... than her palm tree or her forehead or her weird wife. Just askin'
Thanks for pointing that out. The fact is, no, I didn't leave out any word or words. In no way would I say that you are 'wrong'. While I try to always use proper grammar, I'm really in doubt as to whether, indeed, 'than her' is incorrect. To these 'ears', the phrase 'than she' sounds rather stilted.
DeleteIn essence, you maintain that the word 'her' can only function as a possessive adjective, no? Is there any authoritative source for that? Again, I'm NOT saying you're wrong. I'm just not convinced that you're correct either. But I do sincerely thank you, though, for carefully and attentively reading what I write, which, as you might correctly assume, most folks consider to be utter drivel.
Toe-may-toe / toe-mah-toe. I didn't say you were incorrect. Maybe I just enjoy sounding stilted (to compensate for my short stature). My "reading brain" felt that "than her" was incomplete TO ME. Same as when my "hearing brain" comes across "My mother and me went to the mall" or "Those bullies were mean to you and I". No matter how common the misuse of "I / me" may be, it hurts my ears and I always want to correct, but I don't for fear that I will get stabbed or physically attacked by a MAGA hat. I know that will not happen if I critique your stuff, that's why I do it if I feel the urge. So, I was correct for my own reasons and you weren't wrong for yours. Can we just move on? Please note that I am not gracious in losing an argument... and your drivel can be a great distraction in these trying times. Peace.
ReplyDeletePerhaps I shouldn't spill the beans, but you must be made aware that I've nominated you for 'Person of the Day'. If you wind the coveted award you will receive a stipend of ninety-nine cents and a decorative item from a strip mall in he Greater Cleveland Metroplex.
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