Are we ever really quoting ourselves?
Quotes are used to refer to things that make argumentative points stronger, or to make people think; but air quotes are the ugly step sister of these written beauties.
Most of the time the air quotes are simply used to offend people, to make a funny joke. Some one may be expecting one answer, like when a girl tells a guy 'I love you,' she expects him to say, 'I love you too;' but if we throw some air quotes around the important word - love - 'I "love" you too,' it becomes a horribly offensive statement - especially when she was serious about it.
Air quotes are close to sarcasm, but are a little different. When used, the phrase put inside the air quotes is immediately noted to be taken in jest, and often as the opposite of what they really mean. They can be sneaky little things, that almost look like devil horns growing out of the word, making it sinful and harsh.
Many times they are funny, but it's up to the other person to decide how far they go, and we all know that they will take it too far.
Monday, November 18, 2013
Monday, November 11, 2013
Apollo and Daphne Displacement
Mary was a beautiful, intelligent girl who had a terrible secret. She was addicted to drugs. Coke, meth, heroin, you name it and she had it. She would find jobs that fit her perfectly but eventually her employers would find out about her issue and fire her.
She was out of the job for a few months and was getting desperate for money. She decided to move out to Portland with her cousin Sarah. Before she left, she had to get enough money to eat and survive as she traveled across the country.
She went down to the local bank and robbed it. She got away but through security cameras and previous offences - mostly drug charges - the cops were able to identify her and let out a press release identifying her as the culprit. With almost all of New York knowing she just robbed a bank she had to avoid all trains/buses/etc. She decided to just start walking and hope that anyone passing by didn't recognize her.
After weeks of walking and getting short rides from strangers on the road, she came upon a diner along the highway in Ohio.
Pete was a nice guy. He was always in between jobs and had moved from city to city working odd jobs and just going through life as a typical nobody. He had a tendency to cling to anyone he cared about, whether or not they had similar feelings.
Pete was also in the diner. He noticed a girl walk in the door and recognized her from the highway. He walked up to Mary and they started talking. Pete was also going to Portland, just to find work and start a new life.
Throughout their journey, Pete started falling for Mary. She found him to be overly nice and that put her off for most of the drive, but it was better than walking. They eventually got to the city and Pete dropped her off. She gave him a few hundred dollars and thanked him, and he left.
About two months later, she noticed Pete's car parked outside. She didn't think anything of it, plenty of people have trucks, and his one happens to be red just like Pete's. But when she looked again a few seconds later, the truck was speeding off down the street.
There were a couple nights over the next few weeks where she thought she saw that same red truck creeping by her window, each time speeding off when she approached the window.
Sarah was about to get a promotion to branch manager at her job, but had to attend a conference about management skills in San Francisco. She was going to leave for a few weeks and would be back as soon as she can.
The first few nights were just fine. She would go out to bars and drink or stay in and watch movies and was doing fine on her own. Then she noticed Pete's truck outside one night.
She knew she was in trouble when she approached the window and he didn't speed off, instead his lights went off and the engine died. She ran back through the house to get out the back door but he was already in the house by that time. He called out to her and she ran through the neighborhood.
He followed. His gun was out and he had to find her; after all, he was in love with her. For hours they ran, she was always within shouting distance and he could sense where she was going - the ocean.
Out to a cliff over the beach Mary ran, wishing she could do anything to get away. She knew she was at a dead end, and there was only one way out. The way out would be permanent but it was clearly the better option.
She saw his dark, horrifying figure come out of the distance and took the jump.
She was out of the job for a few months and was getting desperate for money. She decided to move out to Portland with her cousin Sarah. Before she left, she had to get enough money to eat and survive as she traveled across the country.
She went down to the local bank and robbed it. She got away but through security cameras and previous offences - mostly drug charges - the cops were able to identify her and let out a press release identifying her as the culprit. With almost all of New York knowing she just robbed a bank she had to avoid all trains/buses/etc. She decided to just start walking and hope that anyone passing by didn't recognize her.
After weeks of walking and getting short rides from strangers on the road, she came upon a diner along the highway in Ohio.
Pete was a nice guy. He was always in between jobs and had moved from city to city working odd jobs and just going through life as a typical nobody. He had a tendency to cling to anyone he cared about, whether or not they had similar feelings.
Pete was also in the diner. He noticed a girl walk in the door and recognized her from the highway. He walked up to Mary and they started talking. Pete was also going to Portland, just to find work and start a new life.
Throughout their journey, Pete started falling for Mary. She found him to be overly nice and that put her off for most of the drive, but it was better than walking. They eventually got to the city and Pete dropped her off. She gave him a few hundred dollars and thanked him, and he left.
About two months later, she noticed Pete's car parked outside. She didn't think anything of it, plenty of people have trucks, and his one happens to be red just like Pete's. But when she looked again a few seconds later, the truck was speeding off down the street.
There were a couple nights over the next few weeks where she thought she saw that same red truck creeping by her window, each time speeding off when she approached the window.
Sarah was about to get a promotion to branch manager at her job, but had to attend a conference about management skills in San Francisco. She was going to leave for a few weeks and would be back as soon as she can.
The first few nights were just fine. She would go out to bars and drink or stay in and watch movies and was doing fine on her own. Then she noticed Pete's truck outside one night.
She knew she was in trouble when she approached the window and he didn't speed off, instead his lights went off and the engine died. She ran back through the house to get out the back door but he was already in the house by that time. He called out to her and she ran through the neighborhood.
He followed. His gun was out and he had to find her; after all, he was in love with her. For hours they ran, she was always within shouting distance and he could sense where she was going - the ocean.
Out to a cliff over the beach Mary ran, wishing she could do anything to get away. She knew she was at a dead end, and there was only one way out. The way out would be permanent but it was clearly the better option.
She saw his dark, horrifying figure come out of the distance and took the jump.
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