7.Papaisms- Descriptive

Papaisms

The little phrases, sayings and quotes that my Grandpa or Papa and my Dad use as a part of their personality. Whenever there is an opportunity to say something funny or use one of these family clichés, my dad jumps on the opportunity. These sayings all have underlying messages whether they are obvious or they make one think. Papaisms are a part of my family’s life and after my Papa. These phrases always make and appearance at sporting events, when my dad and I are fishing or camping or just in everyday life. There is always one for everything.

“Your mouth is moving faster than a whippoorwill’s ass” This papaism is a family favorite and it is the most commonly used in life. A whippoorwill is a small bird that lives in the northern and central America. When it flies its backside moves rather quickly. This quote means when someone is in trouble and they try and talk their way out of it. When a guilty person tries to talk their way out of it their lips start to quiver. I have heard this phrase many times directed towards me or directed at other people. I get a better meaning out of it when it’s directed towards others because I can witness why it is being said. A life lesson that is learned from this is that always tell the truth. This is very important because my dad is a role model to me but in a different way than other ways.

“You don’t know your ass from a hole in the ground” A saying originating from my Papa. He was a very strict father to my dad, aunt and uncles. He always said they weren’t as good as they thought they were. They probably weren’t anyways. My dad always tells me stories of them breaking stuff and doing things that would be considered bad in today’s society. A story my dad has told me many times before is that his brother, my uncle, received a toy bazooka for Christmas. They started shooting valuables including old records, vintage Italian Christmas ordainments and glass dolls. If they weren’t hit with the bazooka they would break on the ground. When my Papa got home he brought my dad and his brother to an orphanage and pretended like he was going to drop them off. As they got out of the car in tears he drove around the block and picked them back up and told them this papaism. They learned their lessons and stopped being bad for the week, then started acting up again. This papaism teaches me that nobody is above the rules of the house or society.

            “Ass over teakettle.” This papaism comes out mostly during sports especially during football. Almost all the males in my dad’s side of the family played football at one point in their life. My dad and uncle played at Coe College in Iowa, my other uncle played in high school and my Papa played in the Navy. There are pictures of him running the ball against the New York Giants when the Navy played them for a preseason game. This quote means that someone gets hit so hard their backside goes over their head, they do a flip. I have both had that papaism aimed at me and it aimed towards someone else as a result of my hit. This quote can also be used in non-sports related things. If someone falls and does a flip this papaism is bound to make an appearance. This papaism teaches me that I should always protect myself if I am playing football or just in everyday life. I learned this lesson because it is embarrassing to get hit “ass over teakettle” but the hit itself doesn’t usually hurt as bad as the shame does.

All these papaism plus many more have taught me many lessons in my life as well as having a big influence on my life. All my uncles, aunts’ grandparents and parents have taught me valuable lessons in life. I am taught these lessons in a different way than most people, but I kind of like it. It is a unique way to teach someone lessons either by embarrassment, making and example or stating that you are in charge around the house or in society. I love my family and all the ways they teach me to grow up and be a man.