[Magdalen] One thing after another

[thedonboyd at austin.rr.com]

My Methodist parson father wouldn't say "damn," nor its milder derivatives like "darn," "dern," "dang," or even "dag-nab it" (which I have actually heard).  He didn't use any of the colloquial (but taboo in polite company) terms for body functions or products either.  When he observed any of my behaviors that he thought required expressing strong disapproval, he would whistle loudly (start on a high note and smear downward for about an octave; repeat until the offending behavior stops).  This translated to "Stop NOW, and expect a lickin' when I catch up with you".  The "lickin'" could be considerably delayed as he returned to what ever task he had interrupted, but it was inevitable and of course the anticipatory dread was part of the punishment.   

My father would have approved the saying we have heard often lately about being able to take the Bible seriously by not taking it literally, but that didn't keep him from applying the "spare the rod" admonition literally.  Given that both of his brothers reared their sons by the same rules, I have little doubt that they learned their parenting styles at home.  
  
---- Cantor03--- via Magdalen <magdalen at herberthouse.org> wrote: 
> 
> 
> In a message dated 6/4/2015 2:34:48 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
> jguthrie at pipeline.com writes:
> 
> Both my  Dad and my grandmother phrased it "One Damn thing after another" 
> -- a  
> phrase they both used frequently.>>>>
>  
> For my father's Methodist family, "damn" was too strong.
>  
> The strongest expression my father would ever use was "Oh Thunder".
>  
>  
>  
> David Strang.
> 
> 
>