Back in the Sadder

Just in time for the end of the summer family vacation season, I have been reminded of a game Beloved and I used to play with our four ankle-biters when driving long distances.

The origin of our little time-filler was a sketch from the educational television show, The Electric Company. Two cowboys (Skip Hinnant and Morgan Freeman...yes, THE Morgan Freeman) were loping along while the significant words from their dialogue appeared over their heads...ostensibly, helping the young viewers learn to read.

It sure is good to be back in the sadder again.

Back in the what?

The sadder. You know, sitting here
on our horses. Back in the sadder.

You mean saddle. It's good
to be back in the saddle.

Saddle?!? No, that's like when
a teacher is trying to get the students'
attention: "Okay, kids, saddle down."

Oh for crying out...that's settle!
It's "settle down, kids!"

Now you're just confused. Settle is a
breed of dog. We once had an
Irish settle. Beautiful animal.

That's setter. You had an Irish setter.

No, no, no. Setter is like after you've
broken up with your girlfriend:
"Ahhh, setter but wiser."

The phrase is sadder but wiser. Sadder.

Well, that's what I said to begin with!
It's good to be back in the sadder again!

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

The Roth Family version of this very rarely circled back on itself so neatly. We have been known to cross a complete state while flinging malaprops back and forth at each other:

Look at that statue of a Native American!
Look at the size of the quiver on that thing!

You mean shiver. The thing that
holds arrows is called a shiver.

Shiver? That's when a young boy first
starts using razors. "What a cute little shiver!"

That would be shaver.

Shaver? That's the high-tech
skateboard Marty McFly used.
I wish we could buy a shaverboard!

Hoverboard! The word is hover!

Hover?!? You silly little...hover is like
when you put a lid on a pot.

That's cover. You cover the pot.

Noooo...cover is what you
call a group of witches.

That would be coven!

Coven?!? A coven is what you bake cakes in!

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Round and round it goes! Where it stops, nobody knows!