Tuesday, March 27, 2007

A 'shwa moment

We're used to comments from strangers when we're out walking the dogs. They're tall, gangly, furry, and not exactly a common breed. It's not uncommon for someone to make a joke about us "getting saddles so we can ride them" or suggesting we "get a cart so they can pull us around." One lady along the riverfront came up and asked us if they were dogs. We haven't decided what else they could be, but said yeah, they're dogs all right. One kid told us they were pandas and once we were told they were llamas but we didn't take that to heart too much.

This morning, though we had one we hadn't heard. Dave was walking the dogs home from the park early this morning when he came across an older gentleman, probably in his sixties or seventies, standing outside his house with a young girl beside him, probably a granddaughter. She was about two or three years old.

As they were going past, the old man yelled to Dave in a friendly voice "with dogs like those, you must have the world by the ass!" Right in front of the little girl.

Unsure of how to respond to such a comment muttered a puzzled "thanks," and walked home.

So, leave a note and define what having the world by the ass means. I'm frankly not sure.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

World by the ass - that's a new one. I'd guess that guy IS an ass.

Teena in Toronto said...

Huh??!!!

You did the right thing in walking away ...

sweatpantsmom said...

In that context, I think it means that someone has been drinking before noon.

mamatulip said...

What?!

I'm with Sweatpantsmom. That's the only reasonable conclusion I can come up with.

Anonymous said...

Oh my god. I'm totally going to start using that expression at every possible opportunity. "Good day?" "Great day! I've got the world by the ass!"

Anonymous said...

LOL at the expression. I think like Roro I'm going to use it when it seems appropriate. (Not sure when exactly that will be...)

Did you see that article in the news about the smallest horse in the world? maybe people think your dogs are horses??

velocibadgergirl said...

No idea, but that's pretty funny. Maybe he meant "balls" but didn't want to say it in front of the kid?

Anonymous said...

How strange, but very funny! I've heard "world by the tail" and "world by a string" but world by the ass is just getting a bit convoluted haha!

Linds84 said...

Haha That was probably my dad!

EUC said...

elaine: See? Another reason you should move to the 'shwa.

teena: My thoughts exactly

sweatpantsmom: I don't think Dave got close enough for a breath check but yeah, I think that's a good guess.

mamatulip: It is the 'shwa...

roro: We've really picked it up too, though unless people know our inside joke they think we're a wee bit nutty.

nancy: Yeah they've been mistaken for horses before, though they'd be pretty scraggly looking horses.

velocibadgergirl: Could be, though I kinda think "balls" is tamer than "ass."

leslie: Yeah I've heard both expressions, but never "by the ass."

Lindsay: So settle the debate... booze induced? taming the language in front of the kid or just jumbled up an expression? Is this some 'shwa expression I don't know about?

kittenpie said...

WEll, dogs do tend to come with lots of pooh... But I think the booze theory might hold some water - so to speak.

hooligan said...

To "have the world by the ass" is to be on top, to have everything going your way, to be ahead of the game. I'm guessing that the man in question figured that anyone who owns dogs of such high calibre must lead a good life.

As a 'shwa boy, I've heard that expression all my life.