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The Slice: When a mistake becomes part of your vocabulary
You hear a malapropism and it strikes you as mildly funny. So, in select company, you start to use the mistaken expression. You know, just to be amusing.
But then … well, let me just tell the story.
Some time ago, I got a new license plate for our car. The friendly, efficient clerk helping me noted that I had requested a “Share the Road” plate, which supports bicycling.
Only she said “Share the Bike.” Which is kind of funny.
So my wife and I occasionally say “Share the Bike” when it’s just the two of us.
Well, one afternoon recently, I was walking through a South Hill shopping center parking lot when I saw a “Share the Road” license with a really low number, indicating it was one of the earliest purchased.
A woman was just emerging from that car, so I said something about her plate.
And naturally, I referred to it as a “Share the Bike” license.
D’oh!
Have you ever used the wrong word on purpose so often that when it came time to use the correct word, you forgot to switch back to the proper expression?
Slice answers: “The good exercise was definitely the best thing about my reel style mower,” wrote Darrell Keim. “It’s why I sold it.”
John Simanton has been using one since 2002. “Best thing? It’s such a friendly machine! Not spending money on gas, not pumping out exhaust, not making noise and keeps my cardiologist happy.”
This date in Slice history (1997): Helping: “Dr. Kim Johnstone of Chewelah is the least arrogant doctor,” wrote Florence Lee. “My 91-year-old father lives with us and is hard of hearing, especially over the phone. Dr. Johnstone called our home to discuss something with my husband and the only one home was my father. He told Dr. Johnstone he didn’t know where my husband was but did she know where he could find the toilet paper. Dr. Johnstone told him ‘No’ but said she would find out for him. So she called me at work so I could call my father.”
Warm-up question: Do you remember Civil Defense sirens?
Today’s Slice question: I was exchanging emails with Cusick’s Karl Dilling about his 1967 hitchhiking story (coming home from military service to his wife), when he mentioned that they were high school sweethearts who will celebrate their 50th anniversary in June.
Congratulations.
So here’s the question. How many people around here married their high school sweethearts? How did it turn out?
Write The Slice at P. O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; email pault@spokesman.com. Happy Bobby Orr Day.