LAZY TALK

 We're all using them instead of our own words, so I call it

 'Lazy Talk'

It doesn't take long for it to happen, when a group of us are sitting around gabbing and

sharing stories. And when it does I go quietly berserk.  I say quietly because I

don't really want to bring it to their attention. I just make a mental note of it so I can

add it to the list of cliches in my notebook. 

"Let's talk English" I wanted to tell them. Whether we're talking or writing,

 we should use our own words  to express our own thoughts not someone else's

 over-used phrases. 

As  I look around the room at the senior age group I sense that I am the only

one who seems to mind. Of course it's been going on forever, well, all our lives

anyway. And I never objected. At the beginning, I guess I was too young and less

critical...more accepting . But now the use of  cliches is so widespread, I call it

LAZY TALK'. The group in the room knew me well enough to recognize my 

distress, probably by my body  language... my face turning red...

My friend called out to me,"You're All Bent Out Of Shape" and then a

another one called,"Don 't Make A Mountain Out Of A Molehill".  I

groaned, inwardly.

My daughter Debbie tells me, ,," Ma, they call something a 'cliche' because it's

true...but  you know that ...??don't you... or is it too late...?" she added to herself.

She didn't finish the sentence but her tone said , "You Can't Teach An Old Dog 

New Tricks."

The thought that comes to me often is that someday she'll be where I am now, 

"And "Not Getting Any Younger."

But I wouldn't say it because using a cliche went against all my principles.

even if it did smack of the truth.

But today I was so upset I just knew that I had to call attention to the

'problem'. I saw it as my patriotic duty, or my civic responsibility and maybe

even my religious calling.

Debbie and I went out for lunch and I brought up the subject again, with the

same intensity as always. 

"So Mother, is this your crusade ..." she rolled her eyes...."your new

one?"

I began to stammer, how can I explain to her...?

She put her hand up to stop me, "It's ok  Ma, do it. "Whatever Floats Your Boat!"

I squeezed her hand, "I love you too." I said," You're The Apple Of  My Eye" and

we both burst out laughing. 

                                                         THE END