Just got back from a quick visit home to visit my rather extended family in the southern US. While driving around their small town with my rather taciturn teenage cousin, both Butters and I were amazed at the brevity with which she could hold a conversation on her pay-as-you-go cell phone. Most "conversations" consisted of a string of mono-syllables often ending simply with the sharp *snap* of the flip-phone closing.Ah, teenagers!
But the one that struck us most funny was when she would receive a call from someone she didn't particularly want to talk to. Then would come a scornful, "What'chu calling me for? I ain't go no minutes!" *snap*
How laden with so much was that one phrase, instantly letting the other person know she didn't want to be bothered by them, the topic, or any conversation with them on any topic. How I would love to incorporate that phrase into my own life:
When I paid good money for the James Patterson book "The Quickie" with its annoyingly insipid and transparent plot; tossing it into a paper recycle barrel not 1/3 the way through?
I ain't got no minutes!
When the person next to me on a flight starts talking to me, telling far too much about his/her life for any complete stranger? I just put on my noise-canceling headphones and close my eyes.
I ain't got no minutes!
When I hear the US trying to explain why we're fighting where we are despite a scathing GAO report saying our foreign policy is a complete failure?
I ain't got no minutes!
Sure my cousin may be young, but sometimes life's lessons can come from the most unexpected sources.
- Farmer Ted
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