So.... Thirty....the real story

It was Christmas time, in the two thousand and two year of our Lord. We had gone as a large family group to see the temple lights in Mesa, AZ. As big groups often do, we had all separated to some degree. Charity, Dad and I were walking up a sidewalk ramp towards the northwest end of the temple grounds. We were passing the dancing streams of a twinkle light fountain and talking about this and that. The subject of my birthday came up, as it often does in December. December 27 to be exact. I mentioned off offhandedly that I was going to be thirty this year. Charily being a merely 18 years old, whipped her head in my direction and with mouth gaping and eyes bulging in disbelief, she gasped loudly, "Your so.......(her voice dropping to a whispered squeak) thirty". I of course glared at her. I know what she really wanted to say, "You're so OLD" . But she caught herself just in the nick of time and looked really sheepish. Dad had his hand over his mouth with his eyes squeezed shut,trying to stifle a giggle. But I could see his shoulders raise up and down. He was not doing a good job of hiding his mirth.

Thanks to that little experience, that comment has been a phrase we have all used often when we want to say something rude, but not TOO rude. Thanks Bean (did I say that in Public?)