Verboticism: Redhandled

'Who's the lucky lady?'

DEFINITION: v. To be unable to remember the name of a person you are speaking to, even though you've had a long-standing, and perhaps even an intimate relationship. n. An inability to remember a person's name.

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Redhandled

Created by: silveryaspen

Pronunciation: red-hand-dull-d

Sentence: "Hi, Frangelica. How's your dad?" said Jack Daniels, the bar owner. "Fine. He told me to tell you hi, too." she replied. "Did he sell his bar yet?" queried Jack. "Nah. Plenty want it, but they don't have the money, and can't get it." she explained. The guy on the next bar stool said. "Who's her dad, Jack? " Jack answered "Johnny Walker." The guy said, "I'm his son-in-law and I'd know if Johnny had a daughter. He never has mentioned a daughter. I, sure as heck, don't have a sister-in-law I don't know! I don't believe you two!" Jack said, "It's true. Go up to his bar and ask him?" All right I will!" He huffed out. Jack and Frangelica chuckled. Johnny had been married three times, and both of his second wives, had children by their first husbands, children Frangelica hadn't even met because they were all adults when their parents married each other. So this was one of their husband's, she figured. Jack said "That's Pernod, Zima's husband, your dad's third wife's youngest daughter, by her first husband." Frangelica shrugged and said, "Living out of state I don't know any of my stepsisters or stepbrothers, let alone their spouses! But it sure is a shock to think the stranger on the bar stool next to me could be my brother-in-law, and I've never laid eyes on him before. I didn't even recognize his name when you said it! I wouldn't even know his wife, my stepsister, if she sat next to me!" They chuckled again, as Jack said "Truth is always stranger than fiction!" Before Frangelica finished her liquor, Pernod was back, walking toward them. "Sure as shooting, you two were right! Johnny is still laughing at me so loud, I can here him clear from here! He told me, 'Of course, I have a daughter.' then grinned and said, 'what's the matter with you Pernod? Don't you and your wife know your own sister-in-law and stepsister?' When I stormed out to come back here, he was still laughing so hard, tears were coming out of his eyes!" He began shaking Frangelica's hand and said "Nice to meet you, sister." He went red with embarassment at being caught not knowing his sister-in-law's name. Feeling very redhandled, he asked. "What did you say your name was?"

Etymology: Red - embarrassed, Red-handed - caught in the midst of an embarrassing situation. Handle - 1) slang term for a name and 2) to cope

Points: 728

Comments: Redhandled

Nosila - 2008-03-04: 01:08:00
silveryaspen, the theory of relativity is alive and well, I see! Good one.

Jabberwocky - 2008-03-04: 13:08:00
somebody's been a bartender in another life

silveryaspen - 2008-03-04: 16:43:00
Never been a bartender ... just the bar owner's daughter ... not above a drink in one once in awhile ... but they are really not a part of my life style!

silveryaspen - 2008-03-04: 16:46:00
The above is actually a real incident from my life! Have you met, and do you know, all the names of your relatives related by marriage only? Think this is becoming more prevalent as mature people marry later in life ... to be honest ... even earlier in life ... where stepsiblings aren't raised in the same state ... let alone household!

silveryaspen - 2008-03-04: 16:48:00
True life is always stranger and more interesting than real life! (wink)(big grin)

silveryaspen - 2008-03-04: 17:27:00
Dang ... typed one word for another again ... and didn't even realize it. Above comment should begin True FICTION is always stranger and more interesting than real life!

OZZIEBOB - 2008-03-04: 19:59:00
Good word. The sentence made me think of some of my paternal relatives farflung through-out Australia. I have several cousins I have never met.