Family Handbook of Phrases

The things people say sometimes stick with us. It could be something that initially makes us laugh and although it may not be necessarily funny to others – we will find it terribly comical and become fond of repeating it. Then before we realise it, it becomes a part of our family handbook of phrases. I am sure it happens in all families.

One such line that we use a little too often began about twelve years ago. I used to work with this rather marvelous woman – a migrant of colour very much like myself – wacky and with a rebelliously wonderful sense of fashion. Rachelle from Zimbabwe … or Zims as she used to fondly refer to the country of her birth, was honest and beautiful. She used to say the funniest things, although I have to admit that other folk probably found her more unusual, even peculiar rather than funny. We were great friends and even though we no longer stay in touch, Alan and I remember her and her husband, Hilton with much fondness, and always with a dash of … well, I guess the word is amusement.

Rachelle was one for telling great stories. A simple outing to dinner for her, Hilton and a couple of people that he worked with, for example would prove to be an entertaining topic of conversation for her and me the next day at lunch – simply because Rachelle just had a natural gift for comic timing with a choice of words that brought hilarity to every situation she conveyed. I absolutely loved listening to her. One such story was about how a brand new car belonging to Hilton’s boss had been stolen. It happened so long ago of course, and consequently I cannot remember the details of the conversation except that it was a Monday and it was in winter. She and I were boarding one of those gorgeous silver CAT buses on St Georges Terrace at lunch time when she suddently started to tell me about it. She was obviously feeling very sorry for the boss, but as usual the way she related the event to me with all the particulars in her infectious accent, it made me want to laugh.

The next day, as I was racing through the Hay Street Mall near Dymocks on my way home I heard a familiar voice on the Target side of the mall saying “Some bloody idiot stole the bloody boss’s car, mate!” (car pronounced ‘core’) It was Rachelle. I looked to see whom she was telling the story to and realised ... she was alone. She had obviously been thinking about the ‘core’ situation and her thoughts had somehow freed themselves from her consciousness and through her distintive vocal-chords entered the world to mingle with the throng of people rushing to get home. I started to giggle but as I was in a terrible hurry to catch my bus - I did not cross the mall to tell her what I had heard. As soon as I walked through the door at home, I laughed out loud and told Alan about it for he was ever recptive to hearing about Rachelle’s antics and stories as much as I was.

Some bloody idiot, mate - soon become a part of many a sentence in our home, we find it irresistibly useful. If Alan is late getting home, I’ll say “Some bloody idiot is bloody late getting home, mate.” Or if Donny forgets to do something … Alan might say “Some bloody idiot still hasn’t put away his bloody clothes, mate.” Then one day we came home from our evening walk and found that Alan’s car Laadoo (as in the Indian Sweet) was not in the driveway. Donny had arranged to use Laadoo to drive to work that evening as he had just sold his Jeep and was not going to be able to collect his new car until the following day. But in the hour Alan and I had been out walking and talking, we had for a brief moment forgotten. Alan looked at me and said very seriously that things had finally come full circle. I didn’t understand. Then he said with a Zimbabwean accent “Some bloody idiot stole the bloody boss’s core, mate!” How we laughed and laughed! Somehow, we are quite certain that "Some bloody idiot, mate" is not a part of Rachelle and Hilton’s family handbook of phrases. I really wish I knew how to contact her for I would love to thank her for the many years we de Souza’s have taken such liberties in finding new situations to use those words in.

Quotes from films and TV shows are of course used by just about everyone. Even our teacher Ajahn Brahm who no longer watches programs still remembers lines from the days when he was young and sometimes will use a quote during his Dharma talks. We increasingly use quotes from Hindi films that we watch repeatedly. Are any of you actually surprised? I find it really quite delightful when the words in Hindi come out of Donny’s mouth. "Ar-re, tum pagal hoga kia?" (quote Diwale Dulania Le Jayenge) It means something like "My goodness, have you gone crazy?" You see, it is something my child regularly asks me.

In our home we use references from Donny’s films, almost automatically. Of course, until Donny is famous they will remain hidden references that only his parents and the friends involved in making these films will be aware of and are able to laugh at. He completed the script to his first film in just one day. He was sixteen and already had such a quirky sense of humour, he intentionally wrote some of the most awkward lines which have become tremendously memorable – for they were delivered with much bravado and conviction by the lead actor, Justin Keogh. It amazes me that we are able to use them in daily conversation, especially since the film was called The Attack of the Invaders from Outer Space. Need I ask again ... are any of you actually surprised?

It almost makes me want to say “We’re Addams’s” (quote The Addams Family)