I just this minute got home from a singles tennis match I had this morning, a match I lost 5-7, 5-7. That right there is what we call All of the Pain, None of the Gain. But the going-away small talk I had with the other girl stuck in my head and I thought I would tell you about it. Here's what we said and what we meant by it.
Her: "So you've already played Shelly, I'm playing her tonight. How is she?" Will I beat her?
Me: "She's very sweet." I crushed her when we played.
Her: "She's been doing pretty well I think." You're not going to help me scout her out?
Me: "Yes, she's a doll. You'll have fun." That's all you're getting.
Her: "Well thanks Becky, it was a good match." I won! I won! I won!
Me: "Yes, you played great! I'd love to play you again sometime." You got lucky.
(scene)
Yes, I am always a sore loser on the inside, I hope you're not disappointed in me. But it struck me after we parted that this girl and I spoke the same language, and also that "she's very sweet" is right up there behind "bless her heart" as one of the worst things you can say about someone.
I have to go drown my sorrows in this giant unsweet iced tea. More later. xoxo
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7 comments:
In the South!
Becky, "The Southern Belle Primer" has an entire lexicon of Southernisms and what they really mean. 'She's really sweet' ranks only slightly higher than 'I'm sure she's very nice' which translates: 'That girl had better go ahead and join the Hospital Auxiliary because she is CERTAINLY never going to be invited to join the Junior League!'
BTW, I, along with your parents, noticed you did not blog for that whole month...just sayin'
That kind of discourse is what separates us from the beasts.
A couple of months ago someone did something really out-and-out mean to me. Of course as these things go, word got around, and I decided to take a page from you Southern ladies. "Bless her heart," was the first and last thing I said whenever asked about the incident. "Bless her heart, I'm sure now she feels terrible about the whole thing," e.g. And as I'm saying that "Bless her heart" you know what I'm thinking inside my own head lol. It is brilliant and though I am 5th generation Californian, I have decided to appropriate it. Thank you!
Do people who are inherently competitive like tennis or does tennis turn people competitive? Just wondering cause everyone I know who plays tennis is uber competitive.
Those were close sets though, gurl. I'm thinking she did get lucky.
Out here in Cali, I think the equivalent of "Bless her heart" is "I love her to death." Which is usually followed by something like, "But she is a total witch."
"Bless her heart." I love it!! I don't think I have heard anyone say it since I left North Carolina in 2006. I miss it. That and hushpuppies...and ham biscuits.
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