Saturday, May 09, 2009

Anecdote

So there's this great, dirty anecdote about Samuel Johnson. He wanders into a room looking perhaps more unkempt than usual with his breeches unbuttoned and an uptight lady squeals something along the lines of "Sir, your penis is sticking out!"

To which Dr. Johnson replies, "You flatter yourself, Madam . . . it is hanging out."

Such a useful anecdote. But I wish there were a girl version of this.

4 comments:

Flavia said...

But I wish there were a girl version of this.Ahem. You know we're all wondering, now, why you needed the girl version of this retort.

Pamphilia said...

Hee. My "girl" version- if there were one, of course - would probably have involved a girl's unchecked behavior (rather than disorderly appearance) leading to a minor misunderstanding.

I love that Johnson never apologizes for "letting it all hang out." And so never should we.

Dame Eleanor Hull said...

"You flatter yourself, sir; the AC is cranked up too high."

Pamphilia said...

" . . . and eyes up here, please."

Hmm. We're sort of getting there, but girl bodies just aren't as obvious as boy bodies. And the "hanging out" remark also implies that were the said (Dr.) Johnson to stick out, it would be much longer than "Madam" flatters herself to think it is, no?

I'm still stuck on how totally awesome it is that Johnson doesn't apologize for looking slatternly. He seems to be saying, "So I'm sometimes messy: Deal With It."