At lunch yesterday I discussed the Jonestown tragedy with friend #3, Marcia. Both CNN and MSNBC had special coverage of it this weekend, and since I can only watch Fox for so long, I watched both “Jonestown: 25 Years Later” reports.
I mentioned to Marcia that I’d gone to Wikipedia to see if the poison was delivered in “fruit punch” as the documentaries said or “Kool-Aid.” (It was “Flavor-Aid,” a Kool-Aid knock-off). I mentioned I was surprised that the phrase “Drinking the Kool-Aid” didn’t show up until almost ten years later.
Marcia remembered the Heaven’s Gate suicide, and that the only joke she’d heard about it was: “So many idiots, so few comets.”
Marcia and I are going to substitute “I drank the Kool-Aide” with “I laced up the Nikes.” It’s just more topical, since it’s been 11 years.
15 responses to “This is Why I Like to Have Lunch with Friend #3”
“Drinking the Kool-Aid” didn’t show up until almost ten years later.”Yeah. I only started hearing that phrase being tossed around a few years ago. I didn’t connect with Heaven’s Gate at the time.(I do remember the Nikes, though, I have no idea what that says about me.)
I’m confused (and it’s only slightly due to the fact that it’s 5 in the morning). What does “I lacked up the NIkes” refer to? Or am I so dense that I’m not even understanding normal english now?
laced, not lacked.Definitely dense.
Don’t feel bad, Overflowing, it’s got so I need my Google sidebar permanently open when I read this blog. But at least we’re learning stuff!
“I laced up the Nikes” sounds like a bad tennis shoe commercial.”I drank the Flavor-Aid” sounds like a cheap knock off cultism.That Kool-Aid thing can bust through walls. I’ll drink the Kool-Aid any day.
Kathy – I remembered the Nikes, Marcia remembered the purple cloths, which I had forgotten about. What does that say about her?Overflowing Brain – Yes. Of course, you haven’t had a stroke yet. You are probably due for a stroke with your bad brain luck.Big Dot – Doesn’t New Zealand have some nutty suicide cult you can share?Hot Mom – Wikipedia said that Nike was actually going to release a Heavens Gate advertising push afterward but it was abandoned for being in bad taste. Kool-Aide could have had the Big Pitcher busting out of the jungle and saving the Jonestown people.
Nah, we don’t do that sort of thing here – although peope visiting sometimes used to comment that the whole place seemed half-dead.Now I don’t want to go all stalkerish on you, but I dreamed about you last night. I turned up at your place and you and your mother (who was small and friendly) made me welcome, although Gary and your sister (you never mention her!) were a little wary. I want to apologise for how my husband played with the TV remote while you were all trying to watch the news in silence. And I think you should tell us more about your goat.
I was whining about this post to Friend #3 about this at drinks (when you stood us up for a runny nose). We’ve decided we need a monthly Friend # lunch.I suppose this makes you Friend #0.
Big Dot – Ha! I love that. No goat, maybe you meant wattle goatee (goattle). And Mom was relatively tiny (5’2″). I can’t imagine what would make you think of me – unless you are annoyed at your husband.Hot Mom – Runny Nose? Nuh unh. Achy and obviously coming down with something. And I like Friend #0. Like Ground Zero.
Dang, Hot Mom was on a posting frenzy!I also suggested having a GNO at my place now that my roommate is moving out.
.75 – Okay, you really want to follow my tea party, okay…
Queenie, I was thinking more like Patient 0…You remember, the cute little infected monkey in Outbreak?
Hot Mom – Or, the gay flight attendant.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patient_0#Ga.C3.ABtan_Dugas_case
Well, I am disappointed the reports about the group trying to catch a ride from a UFO hiding behind comet Hale-Bopp are erroneous. Nevertheless, “lacing up the Nikes” or “draping the purple shroud” have to be better than “drinking the Flavor-Ade”.
3 – Okay, now not only am I going to invent the Tea-garita for Tea, I’ll need to use the Chambord and mix up a Purple Shroud. Maybe it/s a Purple Haze with Patron?