Friday, September 18, 2009

Life in My World--Supper Table Conversation

In today's newsletter I talked about dinner-table conversations and gave seven conversation starters. Tonight I planned to ask Calvin those same questions. Oh ho, I should have known that you just don't spring some of these questions after 27 years of marriage and expect a serious and revealing conversation.

My first question to Calvin was "If you could be an Olympic athlete, what would you be?"

Calvin cocked an eyebrow and said, "Your poor students. Do you do ask them stuff like this every day?"

I assured him that indeed I do and then asked again, "Who would you be?"

"Jim Thorpe or Michael Johnson."

Thrilled to have a sentence to build on that we had never ever discussed before I said, "Jim Thorpe, wasn't he the Native American athlete?"

Calvin agreed.

I said, "Oh yes! I just heard on the country classics radio program last Saturday alllllll about him. Charlie Pride sang a song about him."

Calvin cocked his other eyebrow and said, "A song about Jim Thorpe?"

"Oh yes! And even though the radio announcer said that political activist sentiments don't do well in the music industry, the song about Jim Thorpe was wildly popular."

Calvin said, "I've never heard of a song about Jim Thorpe."

Calvin knows more genres and performers of music than anyone I know. Really. He knows all the oldies stuff. I said, "Oh. Well, maybe it was Johnny Cash that sang the song, but I think it was Charlie Pride. Yes, I'm just sure of it. Charlie Pride sings the song about Jim Thorpe."

Calvin just nodded his head and I continued to excitedly babble about what I'd heard and then he slowly said, "Do you mean Ira Hayes? Drunkin' Ira Hayes?"

I didn't miss a beat, "Oh yes! That's it. Ira Hayes not Jim Thorpe."

“Jane, Ira Hayes was a marine at Iwo Jima not an Olympian. And it was Johnny Cash that sang the song.”

Undeterred, "Yes, yes, that was it! Charlie Pride sang Kaw-Liga (the song about the totem pole that can’t love) right before the Ira Hayes song. That must be how I got them mixed up."

Clearly, the question had taken an unexpected turn and I tried to return to it: ask something seriously about Michael Johnson, why Calvin chose who he did, etc. Calvin just shook his head and started to laugh then razzed me for a bit longer about getting the two men mixed up. I decided it was time to move to a new question, but before I even got it all asked Calvin said, "How do you think of these? Do you just sit around and think these things up? Why are you asking all of these questions?"

I rattled something and asked a new question to which he said, "Nuh-uh. I'm not gonna answer that one.”

I think we'd best stick to safe table topics like politics from now on.

14 comments:

Kay Scott said...

Jane, this is hilarious!! I am also laughing at myself because I know all of the songs that you mentioned. (Guess that makes me an oldie.)

Darla said...

Jane,
Tell Calvin to lighten up.. If you can get 35 women that don't know each other and have one thing in common to do your ditties. You surely can get Calvin to participate. He seems even more resistant than I *lol*....

Ande said...

I could have told you that wasn't going to work. I know exactly the look he gave you. Oh you guys are funny.

abe said...

we all knew dad wasn't gonna play along with that. none of us would! ;)
the funny thing is when you said there was a song about jim thorpe, my first thought was, "i bet she's thinking of ira hayes".
i love you.

Unknown said...

Jane, that was hilarious! Matt has taken to "screening" our dinner-table question before it gets answered. Maybe to avoid this such thing ;) I love your questions, Ditty Jane. Love them.

Mitchell Mark said...

THanks for the laugh! I enjoyed reading this blog.

Susan said...

I'm sorry but I don't feel sorry for Calvin at all! I mean, really, at least he only had to be an Olympic athlete. He should have to be a scrapbook tool! Seriously!

Marie said...

So great. I want to have dinner with you and Calvin. I won't even eat; I'll just sit beside the table and listen.

Julie said...

Jane, I loved these questions and was determined to use them when we had the missionaries for dinner last night. We did "what was the nicest thing you did for someone today". I was amazed it was hard for some of them to think of anything. I also asked about the Olympics but I asked which sport they would do. I would do figure skating. I would love to be so graceful! My favorite room is the kitchen and so is my girl's. Andrew's is the family room, Jake wouldn't commit. Thanks for the lively conversation. I love Calin and can see him answering. Funny!

Mindy said...

I'm going to ask Troy that question tomorrow!

Alisa said...

Thanks for the heads up about the dinner questions going awry. I love your exchange with Calvin.
I planned to use them with our whole family tonight-Should be a good time!
Also- I was having a frantic Friday trying to get the kitchen cleaned up and dinner on before I left for the evening. I took your suggestion of getting the table cleared of clutter and set for dinner. You know what? I think it helped me the most! I am sure everyone else noticed a little, but for me it was the one thing that I had finished. So calming!

Kathy’s Korner said...

Laughter is the best medicine, thanks for provide some fodder!

michelle said...

Ha! This is awesome. I can picture the whole thing. And I love your kids' comments!

tina said...

Jane, you are too funny! I love reading your stories!