Quoted for Truth

Yes, yes we are. (See what I did there? Though technically that is a television quote.) Speaking in movie/television quotes is a way of life in my family. In fact, I didn't realize that several of my father's favorite sayings when I was growing up were movie quotes (from films I hadn't seen) until I got older. I'm not sure if DH and his family did it much when he was growing up, but he sure did pick it up like a pro when we started dating. I promise you, not a day goes by that something isn't quoted some how, some way, in this house.

I've had a few people ask me why we do it. I guess it's like shorthand. It's just a quick and easy way of conveying much more information and emotion than "just the words" actually mean. In fact, sometimes the actual words of the quote don't make any sense in the context of the conversation, but the situation and emotion carried by the quote say all that needs to be said. The mental image imparted by the few words of the quote cover the proverbial thousand words and more. It also reminds me of one of my favorite Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes called "Darmok." Very similar kind of idea.

So why am I bringing this up now? Luke used his first quote in the course of a conversation back in July, but I had forgotten about it until today. Now, he wasn't just mimicking us, saying a quote we had said in a similar context. He's been doing that since he was about four. No, I mean he picked his very own quote based on something someone else said, a quote none of us had ever used before.

It was during our staycation back in July (still need to write about that). We were in Cartersville with my parents (all 5 of us in one car), trying to find a Zaxby's for lunch. The GPS didn't have it in the database, so we were trying to use Google maps to find it based on the address. Let's just say that method was rather imprecise. As we rounded a corner, around the back side of a mall parking lot, we expected it to be right in front of us. Instead, we were staring at an old building that had clearly been closed for quite some time. I commented that I didn't think Zaxby's would be in an abandoned building, and Luke pipes up from the back seat: "Yeah, it's not the old abandoned Old Abandoned Zaxby's."

We had to stop the car because we were all laughing so hard. That's an "almost-quote" reference to one of our favorite Phineas and Ferb episodes, where Isabella and the Fireside Girls have to go get sap from a tree at the old abandoned Old Abandoned Amusement Park. As Isabella explains, "it was called the Old Abandoned Amusement Park, and now it's old and abandoned."And he used it appropriately *all* by himself. We were so proud!! Our little baby's all grown up and saving China. ::sniff, sniff::  ;-)

Currently feeling: that he's finally been fully assimilated