Bernie's Chapter
Daddy's Familiar Sayings
told by Bernard James Guild
Bernard recalls Dad's characteristic expressions, including “Oh, yeah?”, “Little Snippers” for children, “Mother” for Mom, and “Good Looking” for men whose names he did not know. Dad used “Red up” for cleaning, said worn-out things needed “a new one,” and called soy sauce “Pigeon blood,” though Mom never used it. Bernard remembers frequent swearing but says he never heard Daddy use an Anglo-Saxon vulgarity. Annoying drivers were “Pigeons,” “Halfwits,” or “Slack-jawed.”
In the family's own words
“Oh, yeah?” Dad’s favorite response to anything. “Jesus H. Christ” when he was frustrated. “God damn it” when something he was working on went wrong. “Little Snippers” for kids. “Mother” for Mom. “Good Looking” for any guy whose name he did not know. “Well, I’ll be god-damned son of a bitch!” upon hearing incredible stories. “Red up” for cleaning up, as in “I’ve got to red (ready) up the garage.” “This (whatever) needs a new one.” For anything that was too worn to be fixed. “Pigeon blood” for soy sauce, which Mom never used. Daddy swore a lot like most men, but I never once heard him use an Anglo- Saxon vulgarity. What he called drivers who annoyed him: “Pigeons,” “Halfwits,” or “Slack- jawed.”
MOM
Referenced in
Bernie's Chapter, told by Bernard James GuildRelated stories
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