A white -haired gibbon
Under – Age Drinking
When I was younger, too young to drink, I snuck into a bar with my friend to play pool.
In my village they didn’t often follow the law when it came to drinking age.
If you had money,you were in.
The pool table was right behind the bar, so you could hear the old regulars talking.
One guy seemed particularly angry.
“They should go back to where they came from.”
I ended up being crippled with laughter as I just couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
They should go back to the jungle.
Do people really have these opinions?
Is this really happening?
The guy kept talking for about 20 minutes. One thing worse than the last.
I thought I should say something.
“They should go back to living in the trees.”
I didn’t say a word to him.
Staircase Wit
The french have a term, esprit de l’escalier, meaning staircase wit.
It’s used to describe those moments when you couldn’t think of the perfect thing to say.
You only think of something witty when you’re on the stairs on the way out.
Monkey Talk
The bright Side
Although sometimes not speaking up is more wounding than a punch in the face.
Are you blonkers?
Great one Tim. Really appriciate. I have a lot of esprit de l’escalier, myself. So in recent times I started thinking of the situations where I might be in and had readymade reply but then again who wants to be punched in the face. So in my mind I have done so many thinks they can’t even imagine.
Much love
LikeLiked by 2 people
best kept in the mind really. Learning to move on from the moment when you didn’t react as well as you thought you should. Can end up in a cycle of self blame. But that’s a serious point 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very powerful blog especially your comment (so true) that “sometimes not speaking up is more wounding than a punch in the face.” Bravo. I like your serious posts as much as your blonkers blogs.
So hope you keep both coming.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I guess this was the least serious I could possibly make it….
LikeLike
The phrase “when was the last time you shaved a monkey” sounds like something from a Carry On film. I’m surprised he didn’t punch you in the face just for being so forward.
LikeLiked by 2 people
well he couldn’t as I only imagined saying it 20 years later.
LikeLiked by 2 people
You can get punched in the face in your imagination, too. I’m always punching people in the imagination.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Trust the French to have such a wonderful term as “esprit d’escalier”. Staircase wit happens to me all the time! I am usually about half an hour too slow. Great post!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thx 🙂 another one is ferme ta gurl – which means shut up. Literally shut your gorilla ! Didn’t mean you 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha! My mom was a French teacher. Wonder why she didn’t teach me these useful phrases! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
You need to watch you steps when using the stair case, witty or not….
LikeLiked by 1 person
That feeling you get when you’re not looking and there’s one more step than what you expect
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thoughts have been known to trip you up. I have been known to stumble on the unexpected step or thought.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I just know that I’ll think of something humorous to say in 7 hours and 36 minutes. Please take a seat over there. No……I didn’t mean take a seat, I meant sit down. No……not over there, over there. Oh forget it! FAIL!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I was already sitting …
LikeLiked by 1 person
….but that commode was decorative only…oh, shit!
LikeLike
Pahaha my whole life is one big esprit de l’escalier . . .
SO’s YOUR FACE.
Thanks for the share and the laugh!
Rach
LikeLiked by 2 people
you’re a blonker now! 🙂 thanks for joining in.
LikeLike
Great post, I like your point of view.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you. It was a memory from many years ago, something my mind always returned to every so often.
LikeLike
It’s funny the things that never leave your mind isn’t it? I was about 12 and I was at Speakers Corner in Hyde Park with my aunt. There was a South African girl speaking with absolute conviction about how black peoples brains were smaller than white peoples. I remember it vividly and I couldn’t tell you now if I was more glad she was getting heckled mercilessly or horrified that she actually believed it. I felt very helpless, too young to be listened to but old enough to be appalled. That was a huge part of why I used to picket the SA embassy with so many others a few years later though
LikeLiked by 2 people
– yes, unbelievable story but obviously believed! There are still people that think that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Its amazing how much of what is believed is just accepted brainwashing often because someone in a position of influence just want to hide their own insecurity.
LikeLiked by 3 people
great point, I don’t think these things will ever change, perhaps just change their guise.
LikeLike
So much truth in this one. I have those moments I look back on & wonder why I froze up.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It tough as nobody wants to be a Target and arguing with ignorance is similar to arguing with a drunk – futile. Yet perhaps hindsight clouds the vision
LikeLike
I grew up in the deep south. You cannot IMAGINE what I’ve heard…
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yeh, there’s a lot I think I dont want to hear .maybe that’s a bad thing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great blog! thank you for the follow, nice to meet you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Lilly 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person