Where To? #1LinerWeds

My grandpa left me a boxcar-load of one-liners, bless ‘im. I still think them, even if I don’t say them out loud. Mom and I used to trade them, and I’ve passed a bunch on to #4 Daughter, the amazing Sara Marian.

For instance, when we had finished any errand or visit and I asked where to next, he would invariably say,

Home, James, and don’t spare the horses.

It’s a phrase that originated in the late 1800s, possibly because Queen Victoria had a coach driver named James. Grandpa told me this story that went with it, but he thought it was a joke somebody made up. Turns out it was a true story!

Grandpa was born in 1910, so people were probably still using the phrase when he was little. Besides, there was a song (or, likely, a reboot of the song) that was very popular in the mid-thirties.

Here it is. You’re welcome.

This post is part of Linda G. Hill’s weekly blog hop, One-Liner Wednesday. If you have a one-liner or just like them, follow the link.

A WRITING PROMPT FROM ME TO YOU: Write about a date gone wrong. Not tragically or horrifically wrong, just wrong.

MA

About

I was born in Louisville, Kentucky, but now live in the woods in southern Indiana. Though I only write fiction, I love to read non-fiction. The more I learn about this world, the more fantastic I see it is.

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One thought on “Where To? #1LinerWeds

    • Author

      Marian Allen

      August 29, 2018 at 9:49am

      I do, too! I was particularly tickled to find out that Grandpa’s “joke” about the coachman named James Darling was actually true!

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  1. Mitchell Allen

    August 29, 2018 at 8:29am

    Marian, One-Liner Wednesday is fast becoming my favorite “column” in your eclectic magazine! We are the conduits of the past and catch-phrases are our passengers.

    Cheers,

    Mitch

    Permalink  ⋅ Reply
    • Author

      Marian Allen

      August 29, 2018 at 9:51am

      “We are the conduits of the past and catch-phrases are our passengers.” –I like! I’ll be using more of Grandpa’s catch-phrases. They make me happy, because they remind me of him. I may also get into some Mom and I had together.

      Permalink  ⋅ Reply
  2. Frank Hubeny

    August 29, 2018 at 9:22am

    Nice song! It is amazing how far technology has come since the 1930s, but the ballads are basically the same.

    Permalink  ⋅ Reply
  3. Linda G. Hill

    August 29, 2018 at 10:16am

    I actually said this out loud about a week ago! Confused the hell out of everybody. 😛

    Permalink  ⋅ Reply
  4. John Holton

    August 29, 2018 at 10:30am

    I love that song! First time I’ve heard it. Sounds like a song from the music hall.

    Permalink  ⋅ Reply
  5. Sarah Glenn

    August 29, 2018 at 11:03am

    When I asked where we were going, my father always said, “Crazy!” ?

    Permalink  ⋅ Reply
  6. joey

    August 29, 2018 at 10:17pm

    I shall endeavor to use this phrase, Marian. I shall.

    Permalink  ⋅ Reply
    • Author
      • joey

        September 19, 2018 at 8:24pm

        I feel like I’ll get a lot of use out of the phrase when the holidays arrive!

        Permalink  ⋅ Reply

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