The Evolution of a Quote

"It was symbolism. I'm yelling because I'm angry."

I don't expect you to know what I'm talking about here because it's a misquote. The original context takes us to Simpsons episode "Beyond Blunderdome" with Mel Gibson (before the crazy). After Homer and Mel redo Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and after the bloody battle scene the question from one of the viewers "why did Mr. Smith kill everybody*?" comes up. Homer, in his wisdom, responds with"It was symbolism. He was mad." That's good stuff. But it takes two people to quote.

Years ago when times were simpler, when cell phones didn't double as a camera, mp3 player, GPS device, blood pressure monitor and home pregnancy test, I would sit in my senior English class with my male counterpart and quote not just The Simpsons, but various obscure TV shows like The Kids in the Hall. Sadly so many shows and so many friends have come and gone I cannot remember all our special quotes. I have no doubt that if he were still here instead of on the other side of the country, we would have had so much fun with Arrested Development, The Office, and How I Met Your Mother. But this one particular quote stays near and dear to my heart. Why? Because it's a misquote that does not piss me off.

I have to admit that I am a purist. I put a little * up there on "everybody" to point out that I had to look this up to make sure if it was "everybody" or "everyone". I'm also a corrector. Or at least I was in my earlier days. Today, I let stuff go. That is unless I'm in the presence of another corrector. (I happen to spend time with one regularly. He keeps me on my toes. At times I return home wanting to crack open my old Futurama sets to brush up on my Bender and Zoidberg one liners.)

Some quotes have to remain pure to me, though. Example: The Usual Suspects line up scene has to be said word for word "Hand me the keys you fucking cocksucker." And just to be absolute, if you do Benicio Del Toro's part it's "hand me the keys you cocksucker, what the fuck?" But you must make sure you are indecipherable and irritated as you annunciate.

So many quotes have found their way into my everyday that I'm not even sure if what I say are my own thoughts anymore. In fact it has reached the point were if anything remotely witty or funny comes out of my mouth, my boyfriend ask me "what's that from?" What's even sadder that I have to think for a minute before I can illegitimately hit him and say "I came up with that!"

But being a pop culture child, I can bond with people over one-liners and obscure references. It may not seem like much to you, but I like that I can always make my dad laugh by saying "Oh, save me Jebus!" You try and tell me that's not funny.