This is indeed mundane and pointless, and I must share.
It’s long been a conversational norm that, when someone wishes you well, you may in turn wish them well with the simple phrase “you too.” Very convenient, very compact. Only two words, six letters, and you have essentially said that you hope that everyone of the first speaker’s hopes about your future, you likewise hope for them. You have verily tidily returned the favor with little work.
You can always substitute other phrases, naturally. “right back atcha!” you may say, thus hurling the well-wishes back on them. I always use “you too.”
Of course, I’ve thrown out the occasional inaccurate “you too.”
“Happy Birthday!” says my aunt. “You too,” says I. Slightly embarrassing, but it happens to many people.
Today, though, I used it at a really inopportune time. I was at a preliminary hearing this morning (A preliminary hearing is, in this jurisdiction, a probable cause hearing before a justice of the peace. If the JP finds probable cause, the case is then moved to Superior Court.). My client is a very polite and cordial fellow, and also currently wearing jailhouse orange. After the PH, and after the JP finds probable cause (they always do), my client is escorted back to the holding cell. I have a few more hearings, then leave the Courthouse to go back to my office, dreaming my little Labor Day weekend dreams. En route to my office, I come across a convoy of inmates. My client is shackled in a long line of other inmates, and is being lead back to the jail, immediately adjacent to the Court. My client sees me and thanks me for my efforts, and wishes me a good weekend.
“You too!” I say. Realizing that, since he is going to be in custody over Labor Day weekend, his weekend is likely to be quite shitty, I say "well. . . "
My client and the other inmates laugh, as do the two guards.
A little embarrassing, but funny since everyone laughed.
I feel better for having shared.
