Sculpin

I know somebody whose daughter, a very small toddler, is starting to figure out the rules of human interaction. She likes to answer the phone and say, “Hello! How you you? Blahblahblahblahblah!” Literally “blahblahblahblahblah” — it’s what she says when she runs out of words, which happens often.

I can’t decide whether she’s not quite clear on what words are, or whether she has a precocious grasp on the realities of phatic communication, but I lean toward the latter. All she’s trying to express is, “I am talking now in a socially appropriate manner,” and she gets that intention across with admirable efficiency. I can think of a lot of adult conversations that could be reduced right down to “Blahblahblahblahblah,” though they’re not necessarily so friendly. It would have saved me plenty of time and trouble if I’d recognized that a couple of decades ago.

Fact is, I kind of wish we could all just go ahead and follow that kid’s lead. Blahblahblahblahblah, friends!

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