At the door stands a courier, chewing on what must be a piece of gum for elephants, given the vigor and range of mandibular activity to which he is compelled.
See, I read this as we were driving from North Carolina (where we visited with my inlaws) to DC (where we were going to stay with Husbandrinka’s friends on the way home, to NYC, which I have missed more than I could possibly tell you, the city, the vibrancy, oh, who am I kidding, the Tivo and the ability to yell at my kids within the privacy of my own home!) and it made me laugh out loud, which, despite all the LOLing we do on line, is actually not that common.
So, driving-Husbandrinka asked what was so funny and I read it to him and he was totally not impressed.
“You don’t think that’s funny?” I asked, apparently not satisfied with the Absence of Laughter.
“No,” he said.
And then we drove in silence, because I was fuming that he didn’t find it funny and he was enjoying the sounds of silence.
(It’s from The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery, which I am reading for my book group and which is fantastic.)
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Here’s a tidbit that I bet you didn’t know about me! I know a lot about capital punishment! And I’m putting my knowledge to good use today on The Mouthy Housewives!
One year ago ...
- Welcome to Motherhood in NYC - 2006
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Twitter: Mamabirddiaries
April 5, 2010 at 8:19 am
Omg… did you just out the fact that most of us are not indeed laughing out loud when we write lol?!
I’ll be using this from now on….
lolfr (laughing out loud for real)
Twitter: rimarama
April 5, 2010 at 9:41 am
That book is quintessential reading group material. And Renee Michel is da bomb.
Twitter: gdrpempress
April 5, 2010 at 11:00 am
First, I am going to find that book, and next, I know just what you mean by “finally getting to yell at your kids in the privacy of your own home.” It’s so hard to “be nice” the whole week we’re at the In-Laws. Just about does me in.
And I love “lolfr”
What up with H-ka? I bet he was sweating it until you guys got to DC, where they don’t have the death penalty. Apparently NC still does…. Dude don’t ever bring him to Texas man, we got an HOV lane straight to Huntsville.
My Hubby doesn’t get my sense of humor either. Unless I’m naked, then I’m the most interesting person in the room.
I find lol get’s me out of some awkward situations.
Twitter: letthedogin
April 5, 2010 at 1:10 pm
oh, the yelling at your kid in the privacy of your own home is SO underrated! worth their weight in gold!
and what is it about men wanting silence on road trips? i used to sing in the car, before marriage…
At least he likes silence, my sportsman likes for us to listen to hard rock, up loud the whole trip. Which is fine some times, just not so fine on days I have a freakin headache.
i laugh out loud when i read what you write.
welcome home. it’s good to be able to yell at our kids in peace.
I’m with husbandrinka on this one. It’s not funny. In fact it feels really contrived. Who really thinks like that? I frequently literally laugh out loud (and sometimes to the point of tears!) because you are so funny.
I like the absurdity of the idea of a elephant chewing gum. Just the idea makes me chuckle. And “mandibular activity”? I’m going to have to check this book out.
I <3 mandibular activity!
Also, I didn't quite follow, and now I don't know if you went whitewater rafting or not.