thebeliever

This struck me as funny. So I'm at the theatre, watching this grim black-and-white film, The White Ribbon. There's a scene where a deeply religious father is telling his son that he reminds him of another boy he's heard about, a boy who died. The father then goes on to describe the symptoms of the boy who died, what he was like before he passed away: pale, secretive, withdrawn. The father says that the boy himself is showing those same symptoms. It becomes increasingly clear that he's trying to warn the kid about the evils of masturbation without coming right out and saying it. Finally, the father says, "Do you know what I'm talking about?" or words to that effect; when a guy down the row-- who has been squirming in his seat, whispering to his companion, and farting throughout the movie-- suddenly whispers, loudly and escitedly, as if he's just found the solution to the mystery: "Syphilis!"

It was totally loud in the theatre, and so wrong-headed (the kid is 12, damn it) that I almost burts into laughter. I had to bite my hand. Then I went back to watching the grim shit.

Well, I thought it was funny. It's going to be my new go-to answer to any tough question: Hesitate, squirm, then whisper excitedly, "Syphilis!"