Monday, October 13, 2008

Rockstar, Flossie & Pumpkin Butt

'Excuse me, Flossie!'
'Hey. Rapunzel'
'Alright, Twiggy'
'What else Skinny?'
and more traditionally...
'Thank you Dear'
'Sure, Darling'
'No problem Love'
'Here you go, Honey'
'Okay, Sweetheart.'
'Thanks, Angel'

Terms of endearment bestowed upon me from strangers.
Doesn't matter, baby-love.
I'll answer to anything.

I guess in a more traditional than my faded Levis' who-could-be-bothered with curling the hair much less the eye lashes world, 'Maam' would be the appropriate & respectful term of endearment for a stranger to use. Sure enough SweetPea, 'Maam' doesn't really seem appropriate over here... but I'll answer to it too.

A mother silently pushed her terrible two-something toddler through the store, screaming every bit of the way. Each aisle seemed to be sheer torture for the young boy. Momma pushed on. After about 40 minutes of pretended peace, Momma pushed her buggy to the counter to check out with screaming child strapped in.

'Hey Pumpkin! Why are you crying? You have the coolest red truck on your shirt! You gotta like that!'

A sniffle, then back to the tearless screams and an eye-cut from Momma...'Well, for one thing! He don't like being called pumpkin!'

Smiling back at scrowling Momma...'Hahaha, welllllllll...... let him live to be my age and he'll realize there are a lot worse things to be called.'

A term of endearment, whether we personally like it or not, is still a term of endearment....right, rockstar?

16 comments:

Reggie Hunnicutt said...

I call my wife "Buddy" and it drives some people nuts. She is a dear friend along with being my lover and a host of other things.

Shimmerrings said...

It drives me crazy, down south, when other women call me "baby" when I'm at the check-out... say, like at a quick shop or gas station... "will that be it, baby?" ... "thank ya, baby,"... but, yes, it's a term of endearment...

~Babs said...

"Terms Of Endearment"
makes me think of the crazy movie.

I don't even like it when people in places of business,,,so called 'professional' people call me by my first name. Like at the bank. It's too familiar. I am certainly not their hon, or dear. Even if they weren't HALF my age.
I also dislike when a waiter says: "Thanks guys, I'll be right back with that."
I guess I am just old, but you're right,,,,terms of endearment are inappropriate from strangers, no matter how well meaning those strangers are.

singleton said...

LOL! I don't know any strangers! Muah, sweetlove!

Mel said...

I rather like himself's terms:

'erindoors

Oh wait....and there's "my little nest of vipers" which he ASSURES me is a term of endearment. Yeah, yeah.....LOL

Personally---
I'm rather fond of "She who must be obeyed".
*snickering*

Anne said...

Terms of endearment are fine to me, except when they are spoken by creepy old men. Eeeewwww! A few of the young guys at work even call me Mom. LOL!

Screaming kids... whenever I get one at work, I tell them to be quiet or they might scare the monkeys away. Yes, the silly monkeys that are to blame for mismatching all the shoes and throwing them on the floor. Every once in a while I get a laugh from the kid, and almost always from the mom. :)

Lola Starr said...

I am a fan of terms of endearment, except for "pumpkin". That one I don't like so much. Love when people call me "darlin'" though. And a personalized endearment from my roomie that always makes me laugh-"chainsaws and demons"-this is only used when I'm in a bad mood. ;) Maybe more of a description than an actual endearment but makes me laugh, nonetheless!

skinnylittleblonde said...

Wreggie...Lol, reminds me of 'Chief' ... a term given when working on household projects! It's all in good love & that's what counts! Hmmm... I wonder if those same people would go nuts if you called her loverbuns instead ;0 :)

shimmerings...lol, welcome to the south! I think that you have hit down on one of the most common ones used. Darling is pretty popular too. I noticed a several years ago 'girl' started getting used a bit too.

Wilsons... I have to confess. My bank knows me on a first name basis, as does my mechanic and dentist office. I love it. I walk in and they look up and say 'Hi Paige' and to me, it's very comforting. I feel like I am more than a number or dollar amount.
I really don't mind terms of endearment from friends, neighbors or strangers. Some of them are down right funny.... Flossie? That one caught me laughing immediately!

Singleton...yeah and everyone you know has a name for you too! You beautiful samalama babylove yellowhead! ;)

Mel!!! Hahahaha...my little nest of vipers!!! I like Erindors! Funny the stuff we come up for those we know... hmmmm, what might you call him?

Anne....I with you there completely, especially with the creepy old men, but even they can be handled. I have one staffer who calls me Mom and it cracks me up because I am not motherly and she is close to 30 years my senior! I call her 'silly bird.'
I'm afraid that poor child was gonna sqwuak no matter what and I didn't mean to offend his Momma... next time I'll try the flying monkeys trick and leave pumpkins out of the mix ;)

Karma....Hahaha, so had that been you in the front of the buggy, you probably would have spat at me! "Chainsaws and Demons"... I can tell I love your roomie already...she has an excellent imagination, an open nature & a great twisted little sense of humor doesn't she! Hahaha, that would make me laugh too!

Oceanshaman said...

How 'bout "southern gypsy sprite" or "sweet thang?" :)

Dee said...

I've always hated the term 'girl' but I have been in the South so long I have caught myself using it from time to time...egad! Time to move.

Al sometimes calls me his little Pita (Pain In The Ass). I sometimes call him Louis instead of Loser just to be nice.

kj said...

oh sweetie, what a fine post...

:)

Scott from Oregon said...

You are so right, sugar dimples...

mindy said...

i have sooo many names for my little jaron... the latest.. poodle. i even call my hubby poodle. so, now when i call out.."poodle.." my son and hubby answer.. so, now it's big poodle and little poodle. and when i was little, my nickname was twinkle toes. xoxox :)

skinnylittleblonde said...

Oceans....Lol, Yup! I think I've heard those before too! It's all good babylove ;)

Dee....hahaha, yeah it's seems when there was a time when i was actually shocked to hear someone (prefessional?) say 'Gurrrl'
BTW, you and yours are too funny... Pita & Louis!

KJ...Lol, Thank You Darlin' ;)

Scott...Hahaha, yes, honey-buns sometimes I am somewhat right ;)

Mindy...Lol, you remind me...my sister said that having a child in the house naturally causes people to use terms of endearment, even if they never had before. Poodles! Love it! My Grandmother called my Grandfather 'Monk'...short for monkey. Hahaha, these boys are animals!

Me said...

I have a nick name for everyone I know and if they already have a nick name I will make a new one out of their old one. The funny thing is that the first thing my girlfriends stop me from doing since it brings me closer to people so much sooner. My favourite would have to be 'bubs'.

You will always be my skinny little one ;)

gulfcoastdee said...

It is the southern thing to do here in my neck of the wood. I am from a military family so we say "ma'am" and "sir" a lot out of respect. My children were also raised to respect people older than they are by addressing them with Mr, Mrs or Miss with their last names or first names.
Just dropping by to deliver some hugs.

Dee