The other night, me and one of my besties Elaine were over our good pal Kate's house, talking, drinking, and having fun when Kate said:
"I want you both to know that you've ruined 'The Color Purple' for me."
"What? Why?" Elaine and I asked. We knew what was coming, but still wanted to make a good show of it.
Kate relplied "I watched it for the first time the other night, and all I could hear was your voices saying every line!!"
Needless to say, this prompted big belly laughs from Elaine and I, combined with a few fast and furious quotes from the movie in question:
"Oh dat's my own baby cryin'."
"You tol' Harpo t' beat me."
"Sophia, Sophia, Sophia... dat shore is a pretty name."
One of the things that originally bonded Elaine and I was our shared love of all that is 80's, with a special emphasis on the movies of that decade. We've basically turned it into our own language (although she and her husband already had the jump on this years before). In fact, I don't think there are many situations we can't use an 80's movie quote in...
When some one gets married:
"I's married now!" - Shug Avery, The Color Purple
"Married?" "Jes, married. Jeese." - Jake Ryan and Long Duk Dong, Sixteen Candles
In reference to any moment involving either wrestling or sports uniforms:
"I wear the required uniform." "Tights." "Shut up!" - Andrdew and Brian, The Breakfast Club
When encountering an odd, semi pretentious male name:
"Blane?! His name is Blane?! That a major appliance, it's not a name!" Duckie, Pretty In Pink
When confronted with attitude:
"What's your damage, Heather?!" Veronica Sawyer, Heathers (I used this the other night on The Teenager and was promptly called lame)
Upon hearing the name Bob:
"Uncle Bob!" - Bud, Urban Cowboy
Yeah, you get the idea. In a short quote we can convey a plethora of feelings, whether they be happy, sad, or just damn funny. We often encounter people who have no friggin' clue what we're saying... but maybe it's better that way. It keeps it between us, keeps it mine and Elaine's.
I think we'll speak like this to each other until we pass into that great movie theatre in the sky. But until then, I'm waiting for the pefect single combination involving a gay son, the name Claire, and having to tell some guy to fuck off.
And I'll bet only Elaine gets what I mean. :-)
