TA TA’isms

 A TATA’ism is a phrase expressed by the wise and venerable TATA. My father. There is no way for me to remember all of them but I’m going to give this a try.

You boys could tear up a Sherman tank= I can’t give you anything that you would not destroy.

You’re strong as an ox and almost as smart= What he told me when I bent an aluminum ladder trying to close it.

Don’t piss on my leg and tell me it’s raining= I know your lying to me.

What……in…….the…….HELL where you thinking= Usually meant you weren’t thinking.

I hope I live one day longer than you do= You’re not capable of taking care of yourself.

Just wait till you see my pale face between those white sheets= Used to instill guilt because we lacked sufficient remorse for whatever wrong we have recently committed.

Drives like a bat out of hell= Driving to fast

Barreling = same as above

I’m sure there are many more I just can’t remember all of them. The thing about TATA is they are still coming.Yes at eighty three years old with dementia winning the fight for sanity he will still hit me with a zinger. Just last week , sitting on the porch enjoying warm sunshine and building memories , I was trying to explain to him how important it is that he drinks plenty of fluids and stays hydrated. He made a comment that I could not hear. Parkinson’s disease attacks the vocal chords to the point that all he can do now is whisper most of the time. Since it is so difficult for him to speak I knew that this must be something that he felt was important because he was putting so much effort into it.

This was something vital that I needed to know so I leaned in and put my ear close , looking into the sweetest brown eyes in the world and heard him whisper,

” If knowledge were a lubricant you couldn’t grease a gnats ass.” = shut up.