Sunday, July 6, 2008

Dialogue About Putting Newly Discovered Vocabulary Word to Use

Meecutio (addressing friends of a friend she just had dinner with who have not yet discovered how nerdy she is): I learned a new word this week. I was wondering if it was a word that was commonly used in conversation.
Teiron (suddenly discovering how nerdy Meecutio is): What?
Meecutio: 'Philistine.' Do you know what it means?
Draystello (reluctantly realizing he is being forced to engage): Mmm ... someone from Palestine?
Teiron: Yeah, that's what I would think.
Meecutio: Do you ever hear people use it in conversation?
Teiron: No.
Draystello: Uh, no.
Meecutio: I just wondered, because I heard someone say it, and I didn't want to ask them what it meant, so I looked it up later. It does refer to people who settled in Palestine ... (she goes on to describe the word as referenced below, in her earlier post, well rehearsed because she spent so much time writing and thinking about it a few days ago, regretting that she ever brought it up and realizing she may have had a little too much wine) ...
Teiron and Draystello shift nervously on the couch. Teiron turns his attention back to the Internet, while Draystello resumes channel surfing with the TV remote control.
Teiron (mumbling, looking down): I didn't know that.
Sanjaya enters, picking up on the conversation.
Sanjaya: Know what?
Meecutio: I was wondering if they'd ever heard anyone use the word 'philistine' in conversation.
Sanjaya: Isn't that someone from Palestine?
Meecutio: It can mean someone from Palestine who settled there in 12th-century B.C. It can also mean ... (she feels compelled to repeat the earlier recitation according to Webster's, not even approaching the curious distinction she wants to make between crass, prosaic, or priggish, as a necessary -- or not -- part of a person who pursues material instead of artistic or intellectual pursuits.)
Sanjaya: In what context did you hear it?
Meecutio: I believe the person who used the word was criticizing or poking fun at someone else's taste in movies. Coffee and Cigarettes, I think.
Meecutio, trying to feel relief that she isn't the only one who didn't immediately know what it meant, is more overcome with regret over her bold foray into intellectualism with strangers. She wonders if there will ever be a time her musings will provide fodder for a lively and thought-provoking discussion about life, luck, lunchtime, losing, lightning or love, or anything like that.
Meecutio tries to change the subject by pulling random photos out of one of Sanjaya's books from his coffee table.
In a second and perhaps more devastatingly fatalistic social move, Meecutio pulls out photo of Draystello's deceased older brother; Meecutio mentally hesitates, but not long enough, before showing him the photo.
Meecutio: Draystello -- is this you? Or your brother?
Draystello (politely looks at photo): Yeah, that's my brother.
Meecutio (with more regret): Oh.
Curtain.

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