I Am Not Lancelot

[ellenkushner]

Very much appreciated this post from eegatland, a.k.a. Elizabeth Wein (author of beloved The Winter Prince & its magnificent relations) - particularly pungent as D&I met all sorts of people around the pool on Sanibel who wanted to know what we wrote - and then, well . . . .


We got back to NYC around midnight last night, put down the luggage in the front hall, and noticed a hideous loud buzzing that seemed to be coming from inside the wall. It was too late to do anything about it; we figured if it was still going on in the morning, we'd call the super.

Twenty minutes later, I heard her cry of "Toothbrush!" ( -What?! - Toothbrush!) and the noise mysteriously stopped.

Our portable battery-operated electric toothbrush had turned itself on when we set the bags down. Why we were sure it was coming from the wall is another question for another day.

Comments

[gramina.livejournal.com]

*G* Be glad it was a toothbrush. ...And that it went off at *home.*

...Just sayin'.

On the other front -- re eegatland's post -- I have *no* experience of that particular rudeness, but I wonder whether, just as the best answer I've found (since I'm not) to "Are you pregnant?" is a bright beaming smile and "No -- I'm just fat! :)" (and you can just *watch* people melt and run away), it might work to say something like "Oh, no -- I'm really hoping to be the next ellen_kushner!"

But then, I keep being surprised by how *clueless* rude people can be. There's probably a connection between one state and the other.

[burgundy.livejournal.com]

I had a friend several years ago who used the "No, I'm just fat" line. And most of the time, people melted and ran away. But I still remember one guy who asked her when she was due, and she said "I'm not pregnant, I'm just fat" and he said "no really, when are you due?" This guy was a complete stranger, mind you.

[gramina.livejournal.com]

*sigh* Yeah. I keep being surprised by the levels of cluelessness. I suppose the next step is to ask the time, and say "Oh, any minute now! I guess I'd better be going -- !"

[calimac.livejournal.com]

Or you could give a date like ten months from now, and then see if they notice that something's wrong here.

[gramina.livejournal.com]

Or "*blush* Well, we're really not sure; the father's species gestation period can be as much as 28 months. I'm really hoping it's not that long!"

Or "Well, the gestation period for the Great Old Ones isn't really solidly established; I guess I'll just have to wait and see." (pause) (moan, wince, look worried....) (ad lib from there)

Any other contributions?:D

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

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[miep.livejournal.com]

*snicker*

[p-zeitgeist.livejournal.com]

Wait! How does she know Lady Enid??

I bet no one is asking whether a given writer's going to be the next Phillip Pullman. That Rowling girl. She may have made it respectable for kids to read, but oh, the price we all have paid . . .

[editrx.livejournal.com]

Did you check your luggage?

Every time I've traveled with an electric toothbrush in checked luggage, it comes out the other end mysteriously turned on. Hmmm. Coincidence? I think not.

I've taken to removing the batteries before travel.

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

Yes, we checked it, and usually we do remove the batteries. But trust me; our suitcase was not buzzing when we left the airport. It must just have been happy to be home.

[editrx.livejournal.com]

"Is that a toothbrush in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?"

[alethea-eastrid.livejournal.com]

Echoing the "be glad it was a toothbrush" comment.

During my last move, I had carefully packed away those things a girl would prefer her mother not see. Sure enough, I had to get back into that suitcase, and my mother picked up something red plastic and rather stylized, and said "What's this"

"Nothing," I told her, reclaiming it and burying it back among the socks...whereupon the damned thing, of course, turned on. *blush*