Endangered Wontons

     

   by Wendy Burke

   It's sad, but true--but like many things, vocabulary is becoming a thing of the past. A few recent incidents at my work place only cemented the fact that knowing words is becoming archaic. 
     This is a little story about wanton endangerment. Most people don't come across that phrase unless they, like I do, read a lot of court documents, or indulge in James Patterson 'Alex Cross' novels (which I also do.) 
    When you work in a television newsroom, you need to know at least 'a little' about 'a lot' of things and after many years as a newsroom assignment manager, I do. And comparatively, my 'age' (about twice as old as the average wannabee journalist newbie) helps a great deal. You see, I grew up in the day where you needed to know how to find answers, not just get them.  Wikipedia didn't exist, nor did the internet -- one had to hike to the library and actually YANK books from shelves!
    So the other day, one young producer is reading court copy and is trying to write a story about some slimeball, low-life, not-fit-to-breed-but-did felon who was charged with wanton endangerment of his/her progeny. But, this young 'journalist' couldn't understand why WONTONS were ENDANGERED. 

    Dear Readers, I wish it gets better, but it doesn't--take for example the cliché’/touché incident. A fine young journalist--on the air--was pining regarding people getting engaged on Valentine's Day. Not once, not twice, but three times she lamented about how touché it was to become betrothed on such a day. I tried mightily to correct her in her ear -- but like most of her generation she knew better. 
    Here's just a sampling of words which I've used, which the younger generation didn't/doesn't/refuses to know:

lavatory

fob

malady

plight 

marauder

patriarch

   Of course, if you've lost the key fob (no clue) to your car, you may have to hoof it (still no clue) home, but watch out for the feral felines (totally confused), they might bite.

   And, oh yes, there definitely is a book here!

When not playing with the people in her head, Wendy has a full time job behind the scenes in television, a part time job in radio and an even 'parter' time job trying to keep her house clean. She lives with her cute chef husband and three fuzzy felines in the Great Lakes region of the Mid-West. You can holler at her: wendyburke1994@bex.net.

#wendyburke1994, #decadentpub, #1NS, #1nightstand