It's All In How You Say It.
One of my favorite lines in literature comes from To Kill a Mockingbird. It's at the beginning of the book where Harper Lee writes in the voice of the main character, Scout, of how hot Alabama summers were when Scout was growing up. Scout describes how "Ladies bathed before noon, after their three o'clock naps and by nightfall were like soft teacakes with frostings of sweat and sweet talcum.".
And that's what I love about literature. Of how it can describe a situation we're all too familiar with and make it sound so much more elegant and dainty than it may actually be.
So when you think of me now during this brief but intense heatwave I've been living with for the past three days, think of me as a soft teacake. It sounds so much better than "perspiration filmed skin and drenched-with-sweat hair".
I gotta turn off this computer that's roasting my wrists and have me a popsicle. And bring on the thunderstorms!
Labels: daily
posted by Dixie at 9:35 PM
6Comments:
I'm glad you posted that, all I was feeling was withered, which is so uncool.
We had our thunderstorm last night after a heatwave of several days. I have never experienced anything like it before--it lasted all night and way into the morning. I would have loved it but for the fact that one of our cats got out before it started and didn't show up again until 4 this afternoon. I thought for sure we had lost him. Poor baby seems to be completely traumatized. Having the 4th of July tomorrow probably won't help, what with the fireworks and all.
It's funny that you posted that. For so many summers here in Texas I have resented and fought the heat. The dry, oven heat in north Texas and the dripping, swamp heat here in south Texas that drenches you before you even realize you're hot.
But this is the first summer I've come to terms with the heat and even sometimes welcome it. And when I say welcome it... there have been days and days when I drive from work to get my son and only roll down the windows of my car (even after it's been in the sun all day) and am glad for the heat soaking into my skin.
I think this may be what it means to be a Southerner. I may not have been eligible to call myself one until just this summer. Doesn't mean I don't sweat like a finely powdered teacake a lot of the time, but sometimes I must admit, the heat just makes me feel pleasantly languid and drowsy. It's why we all talk slow here... so sleepy...
Just a perfect, perfect line. Thank you for reminding me of it (almost like rounding the corner and seeing an old friend). Though I strive to be that kind of heat-effect...but mostly I look more like a mildewed mop than a tea cake.
Well I posted a whole long response to your last post, but it's not there *sniff, sniff* Not sure if I should repost or if you deleted it thinking "who is this strange woman?!" ;) So I'll just say again, hello! It's been forever since I've visited; great to see you're posts are as enjoyable as ever.
We had a brief heat wave a month ago and everyone here was bitchin about it...they forget how they complained when it was -30 with the snow piled up to the armpits. Me, bring it on, we only get two months of nice weather here...ciao
Great minds think alike! That is just the quote I thought of the other day when I took two cold showers in one day, trying desperately not to be gross and sticky.
I'm so thrilled that it's supposed to rain for the next two or three days!
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