[xone]

So were my nephew's when my Grandma (with Alzheimer's) called him a 'bastard'. My sister was incensed until our ma pointed out she had the awareness of a carrot. Sis was still pissed, but as we watched GMa wander the fenceline looking for a way out, it occurred to her that her objection was really stupid.

At a public pool, someone ran into me while swimming and he called me a bastard in earshot of my ma, she had a conniption fit. Moreso when I told her I'd just drown him if she was so upset.

[gymbeau]

I thought being incensed meant there’d been an incident at Mass.

[ichabod1]

I read or heard recently someone make the point that family pedigree doesn’t mean that much in the United States, so you can call somebody a basterd, it’s just a name. In the UK on the other hand, it’s serious business to call someone the b-word. They might just call you out. Still on the other hand, there is a word that starts with a ‘C’ that is about the most vile thing you can call a woman here in the States, but in UK they toss it around like it’s cute.