Charlotte Russe’s Charlotte Russe
Tuesday, January 27th, 2009Sorry to have been away so long. I have been hammering away on my first book since retiring and finally got it off last week. We are hoping to get it out in February, so keep an eye out on Amazon.com for “The 100 Funniest Words in English”.
I’m writing today because I received one of Joe Kozuh’s pleasantly teasing letters today, a response to our word ineluctable, which I exemplify with these two sentences:
- “An ineluctable attraction to the open road often overcomes Lisa Carr in the middle of faculty cocktail parties.“
- “Charlotte Russe found herself fighting an ineluctable urge to cross the restaurant to the dessert cart and help herself rather than wait for the waitress.“
Joe wrote: “While I can “Lisa Carr” or “lease a car,” I do NOT follow the double meaning of “Charlotte Russe” … ??? This dilemma is keeping me awake at Knight … ; is this some obscure food item known only in rural Pennsylvania … ???”
In responding I thought of an amusing anecdote that you might enjoy, too. Here is my response.
Oh, Joe, you have to try Charlotte Russe. It is Bavarian crème topped with fresh fruit surrounded by lady fingers. Which reminds me of a friend whose mother wanted to make a Charlotte Russe but had no lady fingers. She gave her 5-year-old son a dollar and asked him to go to the store and get some lady fingers. 20 minutes later he returned and said, “The butcher didn’t have any.” This happened long ago but try to imagine what went through this kid’s mind on the way to the store.