Family code-speak

10 years ago

To my DD, who occasionally shows up much later than she said to expect her: "I do hope you aren't pulling a Gloria?"

Translation: Bro's wife is consistently at least 45 minutes late to anything/everything. She's the one -- after holding dinner and making other guests wait her arrival for the third time-- to whom I said with the next invitation: "Dinner is served at 7. I'll set a place for you, but I will consider the meal over when we have finished eating. " Upon her next arrival (near 8:30), I smiled sweetly and said, "You may be in time for dessert, I think there's a piece of pie left." From that time on, 'pulling a Gloria' meant that someone was becoming consistently tardy, and we weren't going to cater to it.

I'm sure other families have similar codes: an innocuous phrase meaningless to non-family members.

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Comments (6)

lilosophie
10 years ago
Soap and Toilet Paper is one used by my family. DS was probably 8 or so and he was late for dinner and had to make do with whatever was available, mouthed off to his Dad, who sent him to his room without anything to eat, He went, muttering "May as well feed me soap and toilet paper".
Used now when anyone has a hissy about something trivial
west_gardener
10 years ago
We have a two tone whistle,like put your lips together and blow, in our family. Whenever we are in a crowded place and hear that whistle, we know to gather.
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rob333 (zone 7b)
10 years ago
Meldy, I know what you're talking about but I can only think mom and her good friend from FL use that language. I guess I'm usually the "Gloria" of the group so I don't hear it? There you go, now I am making a new term, the Gloria of the group means the one who is so socially inept, they don't know someone is talking about them.

I love that some thing are indeed quite universal. I too, have a softer two tone whistle I use with my son, west. If it doesn't work, you better cover your ears, you might have them blown out. I can whistle so as to be loud enough to get the attention of 240+ teenagers, all of whom are stretched across a football field. Still use that whistle at work and church. When the nice mannered person has asked for attention and people keep talking, I whistle.
west_gardener
10 years ago
Hi rob, there is no way in the world that I would think of you as
"socially inept", you are one of the most diplomatic people here on GP, and you still get your point across.
Re the "Gloria" concept, whenever you think someone is talking behind your back, I have only three things to say, consider the source x3. They have their own agenda.
I enjoy your posts.
rob333 (zone 7b)
10 years ago
Oh I was totally kidding west. Oops. I wasn't even in a bad mood (I have been spending time watching my boss' parents' Shoah foundation videos, so maybe that affected it).

:)

meldy, I did think of one! My younger sister are and have always been really close. We developed our own language via eyes. It'd make our grandmother furious when we'd look at each other. She knew what we were up to. It was good we knew each other, but not so good she knew us well enough to know! That's kinda like twins, but really, we're far apart in age.

Family code-speak

Comments (6)

lilosophie

west_gardener

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klem1

rob333 (zone 7b)

west_gardener

rob333 (zone 7b)

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