Words/Expressions Left Behind

Unpacking groceries the other day, I asked if something needed to be put in the “Ice box”. It sounded odd. Does anyone use that expression anymore? My mother used the term for the refrigerator. She told me how in Germany, early in the last century, the Iceman did, indeed, come to fill the “Ice Box”. In 1939, Eugene O’Neill wrote the play, “The Iceman Cometh”.

That led my thoughts to the many words and expressions that are no longer used. I sent a friend in the Midwest my short list, being sure he would say that we use this or that expression all the time, but instead, he sent me a list twice as long as mine of words and expressions left behind. Online, I found more words I had not even heard of in my 81 years.

The most obvious ones relate to technology since that area of life moves on continuously. Once upon a time, I was on the Board of, but not an investor in, a “Laser disk” company. How about the “Video Home System (VHS)” that you can no longer use? “Black and white TV”, “Don’t touch the dial,” “Reel to reel tape,” or “rewind the tape”, all foreign to kids today. I don’t miss the “Floppy disks” or “Pagers” we used to have, but I depend on various Remotes.

Are there still the warnings I remember on New York City buses, “Beware of Pick Pockets”? Today, we worry about cybersecurity and hacking.

I grew up listening to “Radio serials,” but I am now streaming TV series, and good ones are binge-worthy. Do you still play “Records” on your “Record player” or “Phonograph”? No, you play your vinyl on a turntable. Did you leave your “Walkman” or “Gameboy” at home? I could not take my “tape recorder” with me all day. If I keep repeating myself, I will sound like “A broken record”.

What about the telephone: Where can I find the “Pay phone” or “Phone Booth”? Where would Superman go to change? Bet you don’t use the “Phone book” either. Thank goodness I no longer need to “Dial” a number. I remember my fingers getting sore from the metal dials. This is a fun take on Clark Kent’s speedy change to Superman in a phone booth. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHtYBif7Ric

In my office, I no longer have a “Typewriter”, so I don’t need to use “Carbon paper”. My “Inkstand” and “Blotter” are long gone, as is my “Rolodex”, and nowhere are notices sent by the “Pneumatic tube”.

I used to go to the “drug store” for medicine, but now I go to the pharmacy department.

You know the adage “A stitch in time saves nine,” but who does mending these days in our throw-away society?

Maybe we should bring back, “a fool and his money are soon parted” because of all the “monkey business” in the markets, oh that is just “A lot of malarky”.

Now that I have thrown in “Everything but the kitchen sink”, “Mum’s the word”, “Let’s cut to the chase”, “After painting the town red”, I will “Hit the hay” and say “Fare thee well”, or as my wife still says, “See you later alligator.”