Friday, February 8, 2013

King of the One Liners

Reid is the king of the one liners.*  He's got the gift of comedic timing and an economy with words I appreciate.

We were at a favorite restaurant in Palm Springs. A retrofitted old Denny's, King's Highway sits within the hipper-than-I-care-to-be Ace Hotel.  The kids love their parmesan fries; I love their signature "desert facial" cocktail...not to mention the sticky date pudding...or the Stumptown French press coffee. Our first dinner of the weekend was premeditated so, we ordered right away.

"Skirt steak and fries," Reid announced to the truly hip waiter. He's bold, definitive.

The garcon may have been taken aback but played along.  "How would you like that?" he intoned in Reid's direction.  

"Make it real," Reid didn't skip a beat.

When he was young, oh so young, I teased him from across the kitchen pulling a pint of premium ice cream out of the freezer. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" I raised my eyebrows...

His retort still cracks us up and stands as a family joke, "I'm thinkin' what I'm thinkin."


When I pray for Reid, sometimes I get a little fired up, on a roll using every method I've ever been taught, pulling out all the spiritual stops, you might say.  He allows, even welcomes this.

"You tell 'em momma!" is his commentary.

(Makes me feel like one of these House of Blues gospel brunch singers he befriended.)

This morning was a first. Reid helped with the morning PA announcements at his high school.  It takes a team to agree on this, set it up, and make it happen.  I drove him in since the bus doesn't arrive quite early enough to ensure his participation. Yesterday he came home with his portion of the script in order to practice in advance. It fit easily on a 3 x 5 card.  He had memorized it by the time I inquired.  He was whispering it under his covers as he awoke this morning, anticipating the new job. I stuck around campus to hear it, lurking on a bench, of course.

He nailed it, "Have a great day Falcons!"


Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin...  Zechariah 4:10

For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.  Ecclesiastes 5:1-3


For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Ephesians 6:18


*Here's Henny Youngman, dubbed "King of the One Liners" by Walter Winchell.