(no subject)

[pantryslut]

elisem's recent tiny tale request has got me thinking in a grammatical vein.

The problem with "unlaid" (or "laid) is that, in its intransitive sense, it's hard for it to carry anything but the sexual connotation. Therefore, "In the Cocktail Fairy came, unlaid" is always going to sound like the Cocktail Fairy is sexually frustrated (or perhaps a virgin, or both). Darn.

I suppose, however, that if you considered it as a sentence fragment, you could make it take the transitive meaning. "In the Cocktail Fairy came, unlaid the placemats and the napkins, hid the dishes, gathered up the silverware and stuffed it in her purse. In their place, she set toothpicks and highball glasses, and before each chair, a tiny plate with one perfect maraschino cherry. Or an olive. Or a tiny pickled onion. Or, at the head of the table, a simple twist of lemon. Then she vanished in a cloud of scattered bitters."

Comments

[zille.livejournal.com]

But, to continue with words that now have automatic sexual connotation, "In the Cocktail Fairy came, unlaid" also leaves one with the assumption that although the Cocktail Fairy was "unlaid," she did "come" so she was undoubtedly having a grand ol' time with her friend Rosie Red Palm and her 5 children (I hear she lives in a shoe ... or perhaps mittens...) and did not miss being laid at all ;)

And I ***love*** the "scattered bitters" bit!

[elisem.livejournal.com]

Yes indeedy, the scattered bitters bit is especially lovely.

Do you want this one considered as an entry too, nadinelet? I would like that, I do believe, and am hereby encouraging you to come post it in with the other ones.

[pantryslut.livejournal.com]

Your wish is my command.