Wednesday, January 30, 2008

No kissing allowed

Writing of amusement yesterday suddenly reminded me of this little ditty popular when I were a lass. We used to write it in each others Autograph books - ancient leather backed paper versions of Facebook

These days we know exactly what people - even young teens - are thinking at that final O! But to us, in the days when Agony Aunts regularly fielded the question Should I let a boy kiss me on a first date? Will he still respect me? it was literally innocent & devoid of double entendre

O please do not kiss me!
O please do not kiss
O please do not
O please do
O please
O!

Then that one reminded me of the following, which appeared on one of those page-a-day calendars which my father was given when I was about 12. In that innocent age it seemed a tiny bit indecent, about the same as saying BOTTOM! in a loud voice when you are 3 or 4:

A kiss is the anatomical juxtaposition of 2 orbicularis oris muscles in a state of contraction

I just remember the frisson so clearly that it is impossible to judge now whether I would find it the least bit amusing if I heard it for the first time today

And another one; A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous

Related post: The Way They Live Now