My uber-boss when I greeted him by his formal title and asked how he was, replied that he was scrumptious. I told him I was glad he had achieved scrumptiousness. If this all sounds like he and I both failed the same sexual harassment training my staff is in the process of learning techniques from, it wasn’t like that.
It got me thinking about how playing with language can take on certain tones, both intentional and unintentional.
Ann Richards, who died yesterday, was a master of tone. She, in my opinion at least, is the Texas Governor who should have been in the White House. The great thing about Richards was that she said what she thought and didn’t apologize for being an ambitious woman. She once said, “Let me tell you, sisters, seeing dried egg on a plate in the morning is a lot dirtier than anything I've had to deal with in politics.”
Probably her most famous quote was about George H. W. Bush, the current president’s father. “Poor George, he can’t help it. He was born with a silver foot in his mouth.” Whatever fake sympathy I can work up for H.W. dissipates, of course, when I think about his son.
I got an e-mail from American Express just now that said, “WE'VE GOT TICKETS FOR A NEW DAY... FEATURING CELINE DION ON HOLD FOR YOU!” (caps in the original). That might seem like a promise to some, it seems like a threat to me.
And that’s just it, of course, it’s all about tone. Ann Richards was a master of tone and uber-boss and I hit the right tone today. Where tone often breaks down is in writing and on the internet. I’m all in favor of technology. And I love using the internet. But sometimes I wonder, when I stare at the little black pixels that make up words if we’re losing our ability to discern tone. I sold some shoes on ebay to a guy in France. He kept asking me about another item I had sold which he had not won. He then sought lots of reassurance that the shoes I had sold him were men’s shoes. It got irritating. Then after he paid, he said, “nice to meet yu!” And I realized that I was just probably over-reading. Like I could convey what I wanted to say about shoes to some guy in France in French.
Anyway, no profound end here. Just a wish for a scrumptious day. If you want my Celine Dion tickets, let me know. They’re ON HOLD!
4 comments:
Dear God, I hope my boss never uses the word "scrumptious". Ick.
I admired Ann Richards when she was Governor of Texas; she presented as intelligent and strong. I had no idea she had cancer and was surprised at how sad I felt to hear of her passing.
Tone is important and hard to convey in the written word. Half the fun is trying, though I often fail.
What's up with you selling men's shoes to Frenchmen? How'd such an item come into your possession in the first place? Inquiring minds and all.
I have big feet. I often buy men's shoes, especially for athletic endeavors. The shoes in question (now on their way to France) are cycling shoes. Not exciting.
I thought we dodged the Celine Dion bullet for good back when we declined the "opportunity" to see her show with your mother. Now she's enlisted AmEx to harrass us? Those French Canadians are persistent fuckers.
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