I was in a store the other day watching the Dudeling as Mrs. Devil poked around. As we were walking around, he took off in a shot as only a two and a half year old can. I (mock) shouted “runner!” as he toddled away. As I caught up to him, someone from the next aisle said “funny, he doesn’t look old enough for Carousel.”
I don’t get it.
Co-worker is leaving the company, and announces it to clients in a meeting. Client says, “You’re not going to burn the place to the ground, are you?” Co-worker replies, “No, they let me keep my stapler!” (Office Space)
I was hanging out with some friends in a college town last Halloween. (We went for a football game, the Halloween part was coincidental.) We were not in costume, but I was wearing a t-shirt with this image on it. Fewer people get it than you might expect.
Anyhow, while crossing the quad, we happened upon a group of geeks dressed up in full *Holy Grail *regalia, complete with coconut halves, acting out scenes from the film. They finished a scene, and began clacking their coconuts and walking away. I stood in front of them and asked “Where did you get those coconuts?” One of them saw my shirt and very dramatically proclaimed, “This man understands the secrets of the coconut! We must bow to him and his superior knowledge!” Then of course they launched into the coconut/swallow argument before moving on.
We ran across them later that evening and they heartily greeted me as “Coconut Man!” It was a silly blast.
Oops–I should have included the reference. It’s to Logan’s Run (the movie version). In short, when people reach 30, they go to “Carousel,” a form of population control. They (may) get a chance to be reborn. If someone tries to avoid the process, they’re called “runners” and are chased down by “sandmen.”
That’s OK! I didn’t actually expect you to explain it. The whole point was that it was a semi-obscure reference that someone got without having it explained.
I just thought it was a bit funny that the first post would be from someone who didn’t get it.
Alan,
Because of all the changes my bosses were making to my staff report, I sent them an email of the new policy language and signed it “Alan Smithee.” My coworker got it, but my boss didn’t and was annoyed.
About ten years ago I was getting off the commuter train and bumped into a man also getting off. I stepped back, bowed and said, “After you, my dear Alphonse!” To which *he *stepped back bowed and replied, “No, after you, my dear Gaston!” Alphonse and Gaston - Wikipedia
My friends all asked, “And you didn’t marry him, immediately?”
Just like Wheelz, my stranger-gets-the-reference moment was over Monty Python’s Holy Grail, just yesterday.
My daughter mentioned something about going to see the Easter Bunny to her soccer coach at the end of practice and he made a half-heard (on my part) joke about “be sure to avoid all the bones.” Sophie turned to me questioningly and I said, while making the appropriate gestures, “He’s got teeth… he can leap… My God, look at the bones, man!”
I had to explain this to her, but he got a laugh out of it. We walked away with me singing the tale of brave Sir Robin. “When danger reared its ugly head, he bravely turned his tail and fled…”
Whenever I walk my dog, she likes to sniff down into the sewer grates. She’s big enough I don’t worry about her falling in, but every time she does it, I ask her if she sees any clowns down there holding balloons. (From the movie It.)
I am waiting for someone to overhear me and catch that reference.
My friend and I were eating at a cafe outdoors, and someone had left the remains of their sandwich sitting on a table nearby. Suddenly, a seagull swooped in, just over our heads, snatching up the bread mid-flight and soaring off again. My friend shook his fist at the bird and shouted, “Maverick!” (from Top Gun). A few people around us got a chuckle out of that.
When I was waiting tables, I was serving a large group who were all smoking, and they asked for a couple more ashtrays. I brought some over, and one of the women made an offhand comment that she thought the other ones were prettier; they were rounded and sleek, and the ones I brought were thick, square, and chunky. I said, “Yeah, those are kind of Deco; these are a little more Bauhaus.” They all cracked up. Turns out they were architecture grad students.
I wish I could remember more (or better ones). This actually happens to me a lot, not because I’m particularly clever, but because I’m constantly making little comments and references about whatever pops into my head. They’re usually funny to me, but I think my husband is about fed up with the random non sequiturs. I would stop if I could, honey, I swear.
I was at the checkout in Whole Foods, and a very young, very cute girl was ringing me up, and she asked if I wanted to donate some money to “help save the planet.” I declined, and then mumbled under my breath “Planet, schmanet, Janet!.” She looked at me, and with a huge grin on her face said “I love Rocky Horror.”
Made my day.
One evening at dance class, the teacher was talking about how important it is to interact with your partner, and how talking is ok. I happened to be partnered with the teacher, so when he turned to me and (trying to be a good example) said “Lovely weather we’re having” I replied, “Pray don’t talk to me about the weather, Mr. ____, whenever people talk to me about the weather, they mean something else, and that makes me so nervous.” He promptly changed the subject to tea-cake and muffins.
I married him five or six years later. 
Not a stranger, but… I grew up listening to my parents’ Flanders and Swann records. Only once in my life have I started singing a Flanders and Swann song and had someone not related to me join in, which was a friend in college. Boy was I flabbergasted. (They are discussed on the dope every once in a while, so I know they’re not totally forgotten.)
I don’t get it.
Ha!
Shouldn’t that be “Reader, I married him”?
I had just started working part-time in a print shop while I was still in college. I worked at a light table in a large room, along with a full-time co-worker who had his own light table on the other side. Nice guy, quiet, a little weird.
After a few months, I was showing something to a new guy who’d just been hired. I completely forget what, but something in what we were discussing reminded me of something from a book I’d read back when I was a kid. Completely for my own amusement, I turned to the full-time guy and said, “Have you ever heard of a pea-pin?” (Quite certain that he hadn’t.)
He shot back, “From The Pushcart War, right?”
I just about fell over. Whaddya know, he read it when he was a kid too. And remembered it!
You all now know him as Mr. S.
A few years after we were married, I wrote to Jean Merrill, the author, in care of her publisher, telling of her book’s part in our early days and enclosing a copy for an inscription if she would care to add one. Several weeks later we received a package containing a lovely two-page letter, which is now displayed in a frame on our living room wall, along with the book to which she had added a charming inscription.
Leading some out-of-town reps to one of our meeting rooms at work.
“Come with us”
no one moves
“Whiskey. All…you…want” (from Trading Places).
One of the guys busted a grin.
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of spending some alone time with a niece that I’ve never really gotten to do that with before. For her whole life I don’t think I’ve ever spent more than 2 minutes alone with her. So we were having a really good talk, when for some reason I adopted a cockney accent and said “There’s a little guy in there.” She immediately shot back with “What I want is… big bread.” Amazing since Spinal Tap predates her birth by about 5 years.
