1 EAGLETON NOTES: Discretion v Bravery

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Friday, 18 June 2021

Discretion v Bravery

In New Zealand 

W (female)  "You are not coming out for coffee with me in pink shorts. You are a man."

Me "They are burgundy, not pink."

W "You can call pink any colour you want but you're not coming out with me in pink shorts."

I go and change into blue shorts. We go into town for coffee.

Walking down the main street we meet a 2m tall Maori built like a tank. He is wearing pink/burgundy shorts identical  to mine.

I turn to W (who has obviously not missed the Maori) and open my mouth. 

I realise that anything that came out of my mouth might well be the last thing that did.

I pretend that I've never seen the Maori.

33 comments:

  1. That's telling her! ... or not ....

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  2. This could be the very definition of "discretion is the better part of valour"!

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  3. But just think, you would have had the Maori to back you up!

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    1. Kylie,
      Here lies the grave of Jeremy Day
      Who died defending his right of way.
      His way was right,
      His will was strong
      But he's just as dead as if he's been wrong.

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  4. Who in their right mind would wear pink shorts? Woops; I've just remembered.

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    1. It was your post, Cro, that jogged my memory.

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  5. lol sometimes it's best to keep your mouth shut aye? btw I've seen many pen wearing pink, it's like one of those new fashionable things they do now.

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    1. Amy, pink seems to be acceptable these days bit I still maintain that my shorts were burgundy!

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  6. What's the matter with pink? It used to be the colour for little boys and blue for girls, before it was all switched round. And shouldn't we, in this day and age, be past all that stereotyping?
    Regardless of my personal feelings about this, I can definitely see the humour in this little story, and it made me smile. So: Thank you!

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    1. Meike, so long as it made you smile, I'm happy.

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  7. (lol) Thanks for the smile! I think I might need colour samples to have an opinion, though... ;)

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    1. Monica, the shorts never left New Zealand so, unfortunately, I can't substantiate my claim.

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  8. Who cares what colour anyone's shorts are, as long as the do the job: cover, keep cool, have enough pockets for everything you want to carry?

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  9. It sounds like the opening of a novel. It made me smile and I would have happily read on.

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    1. Thanks, Rachel, I think that my imagination would have been rather stretched.

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  10. Replies
    1. I can show you one in the blue shorts, Tasker, but I'm not a pretty sight in any shorts.

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  11. And now we know why you have had such a healthy, long marriage! Wise to keep one's mouth shut when necessary. Found this a very charming tale.

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    1. Thank you Regina, keeping one's mouth shut at times like that is certainly good for a man's wellbeing.

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  12. And just like that...in a nick of time...you saved your life. I'm sure your tongue healed quickly! :)

    Take care...drag out those shorts...anything goes these days! :)

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    1. Lee, for once I didn't indulge in orthopedology (the art of opening one's mouth and inserting one's foot). One day I'll show you my ties and socks.

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  13. If a butch, he-man figure like Cro Magnon can wear pink shorts then so can the rest of us! But I am not wearing orange shorts - they would make me feel that I had been Tangoed!

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  14. Oh I did enjoy reading that little memory. It was so easy to imagine the look that must have been on your face :))

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    1. Thanks, Margaret. I hope I didn't give too much away in my face.

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  15. When Georgia was in a creative writing class we spent a happy afternoon making up stories where the last line was "And I didn't say a word." Your story would have fitted in perfectly!

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    1. Yes, Pauline, that would have fitted into your storyline pretty well.

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  16. THis was a fun post, Graham, and you certainly are a wise men to have kept mum.

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