The Parental Pause

a few months ago, i happened to have the following conversation with the parent of one of my high school peers:

me: how's adam doing?
father: oh, great! he's in salt lake now ... workin'.

the pause, along with the uplifting lilt on the last word, i realized i had stumbled upon what i now call "the parental pause".

definition: when our parents want to say more about their children but have been told to say less by those very same children. here are some examples - mostly from my own life.


curious-friend-of-my-mother's: so, what is joanna doing these days? (translation: how old is she again? when did she finish college? is she the one that went on a mission? IS SHE MARRIED?)
my mother: oh, great! she's here in portland ... workin'. (translation: she's 27 and though she finished college five years ago AND went on a mission, she's not married. perhaps you know of an eligible young man?)



former-young-woman-leader-upon-running-into-my-parents: wow! haven't seen your family in a long time? how are the twins? what are they up too? (translation: i know you had twins - i just can't remember their names. remember when they babysat my children? DO THEY HAVE KIDS YET? OR A HUSBAND? NOT NECESSARILY IN THAT ORDER?)
my dad: she's staying ... busy. (translation: i know she is working but i can't really describe it. she sure keeps the house clean and organized. i don't like to ask her about her boys.)
my mom: she's also ... workin'. (translation: i also can't really say what she does but i hope it throws her in the path of righteous, wealthy, and available young men. WE STILL ONLY HAVE 21 GRANDCHILDREN.)


note: for further evidence and testimony upon this new literary discovery, please see my sister. or my friends. or even my mother. we have talked about this. she admits. it's true.