"it was the best of things"
"it was the worst of things"
Dinner out with the family before the kids returned to school we found ourselves favored with a conversation taking place at the table behind us. Evidently one of the women felt the strong urge to share with her daughter/friend/
mother/companion, that something of (apparent) significance in her life was, as she put it:
"the worst of things, it was the best of things."
Not once.
Not twice.
But thrice.
Well, I stopped counting at thrice because with each repetition she became more vehement on the matter. The family was doing quite well attempting to carry on some other topic of conversation at our table to distract from the comments until I, all 12 years of age of me, piped up and commented: "apparently it was the best of times AND the worst of times". Rude, I realize that; and not something I am especially proud of; but it was said under my breath and while filled with the same degree of sarcasm I would have bestowed on a family member, not said with malice.
(sorry!)
Genuinely, it was not our intention to eavesdrop on their conversation, but when you are seated back-to-back, side-by-side, it is hard not to do. Which made me realize, what poor family had unintentionally endured our conversation. If you read a blog post about a family of 4 at Chili's snickering and quoting A Tale of Two Cities - let me know. Dhat'd be us!
(sorry!)
~
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
(sorry!)
~
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
A Tale of Two Cities
~ Charles Dickens ~
Sometimes it's impossible not to eavesdrop. ;))
ReplyDeleteI know the feeling - sometimes you wish to be able to have a "mute"-button, when overhearing some peeps in the bus or subway ... I wonder if there is a phrase I keep repeating, without being aware of it myself?! (I hope my family & friends will point that out when that happens :)
ReplyDeleteI know the feeling - sometimes you wish to be able to have a "mute"-button, when overhearing some peeps in the bus or subway ... I wonder if there is a phrase I keep repeating, without being aware of it myself?! (I hope my family & friends will point that out when that happens :)
ReplyDeleteWell yes, but trying not to eaves drop only makes it harder. Keep your top-secret personal, conversations out of public places!
ReplyDeleteOh I hear you - and I can read lips, so I have an edge on "eaves dropping" - but people, quote literature accurately or just don't!
ReplyDeleteIn a Chinese restaurant, the noise of conversations are so loud from each table that you can really make out what people are really taking ! LOL !
ReplyDeleteA little eavesdropping always makes a good story.
ReplyDeleteYes it does! :)
DeleteWhy, oh why, could I not have been at that Chili's seating in the next booth? I would have choked on my food laughing! I actually used this quote once in a company newsletter, when the company was re-organizing, and, although the vast majority of us were going to benefit, some people were going to lose their jobs, and none of us was happy about that. But I must say, have you truly dissected this paragraph? This is one convoluted sentence! Apparently Dickens was known for them. This story made my day!
ReplyDeleteI hear you - trying to follow where he was going with it was like making logic of a rollercoaster meets snake trail. Oy!
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