Maybe they figure that for the academic type at Rice (notice how I avoid the words nerd and geek) the question is purely hypothetical and fantasy based. And they get a good yuk out of the answers during the long hours spent reading things like, "My hobbies are writing computer programs and playing Doom."
I have a crush on the new checkout boy at the grocery store. He looks exactly like Johnny Depp. And today as I put dinner ( a chicken and potato salad and biscuits, all for 4.99 and best of all, already cooked!) on the belt, he said, "I'll be back in a jiffy." Then he ran to the next check out and back.
I said, "I always wondered what a jiffy was." (You know how you used to say dumb things in front of cute boys when you were 14? I still do it at 50.)
He said, "Well, that was really half a jiffy; it didn't take as long as I thought. I say that because if I say 'Back in a second', people always tell me it was more. This way they can't."
"That's very clever," I say (cleverly). "A good manipulation of language to meet your needs. I like that."
He said," Do you know what superfluous means?"
"Yes," I reply. "Not necessary."
"DO you know what cacophony means?"
"Yes," I try not to look too vain. "Loud, jarring noise."
"Wow, you're good. I bet you like the word 'onomotopoeia'."
"Did you just take an SAT prep course?"
"Oh, years ago," he says in a world-weary way, which probably means last fall. Then his eyes narrow. "I bet you don't know the difference between a nook and a cranny."
Silence. I think about it. I don't.
"You have too many big words in your head." He said, knowingly. "You need to make room for the little ones."
WOrds to live by. |
