Where Ladybugs Roar

Confessions and Passions of a Compulsive Writer

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Homonyms... tricky little blighters

It's a freaking cold morning in the PNW. The weather reports were calling for a low of 48 degrees... and while they always get it wrong, it was under 30 degrees this morning. Thus, my kids missed their bus, but that's okay because it provided fodder for just about the funniest conversation I've had all week.

T- "Mom, how do ferries float?"

W- "Sweetie, fairies don't exist. Of course... you're not supposed to say that because one falls dead every time you do... but... No. Wait. That's pixies. You probably still shouldn't say that about fairies, though, because they're mostly the same." (Yes... that's right. I've been so thoroughly brain-washed by Disney that I mutter inane guilt-ridden gibberish at times.)

T- (puzzled silence) "What?"

W- "They don't exist."

T- "Yes they do."

W- "Uhhh...."

T- "NO. I'm talking about the ones on water."

W- "Water fairies?"

T- "Yes. You know... the ones on water. How do they float?"

W- "Fly?"

T- (sighs) "Ferries can't fly. The ones on water, Mom!"

W- (thinking to herself... 'Wouldn't water fairies still use their wings to get around?' )

B- (giggles)

T- "The big boats that cars go on... how do they float?"

W- "OH! Ferries." (Thinking, 'Wow... I knew more about fairies than ferries.' ) "They're like boats... so... yeah."

B- (giggles)

W- (laughs) "I thought you were talking about fairies not ferries."

This, of course, made us all laugh... partly because it sounded so stupid. Then... I rethought the whole conversation in his context and couldn't stop laughing.

I do believe in ferries... for the record, but if I didn't, I would hope they don't drop dead.

2 comments:

  1. Oh man...I was laughing so hard I was crying and could hardly breathe. I don't have any room for deep breaths anymore anyway. That was great, that's the hardest I've laughed for weeks.

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  2. My brother, Adam, was able to explain why fairies float for those of you that wouldn't be able to sleep without knowing:

    Just for the record, Fairies float based on Archimedes' principle. The air that they displace is heavier than the volumes of their bodies. I know it's hard to believe but Tinkerbell is actually lighter than air, probably because she has a hollow void where her heart should be (much like prospective agents).

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