Two-Word Admonitions
Last week I was preparing to leave a certain law office following a deposition. The host lawyer, a seasoned legal eagle by the name of Franchot, remained in the conference room while I packed my reporter paraphernalia, and as I worked we were chatting.
When it was time for me to go and I wheeled my equipment case around the corner, headed for the lobby, Franchot called after me:
"Bye, Jennifer! Be sweet!"
Be sweet. I haven't been told that in years ... at least not in so many words.
It's a simple and innocuous two-word admonition, but hearing it took me back to my childhood. When I was a kid, I was often reminded by my parents and other relatives -- aunts, uncles, and grandparents -- to be sweet. It was a sort of ritual: upon taking your leave, you got your hug and were encouraged to be sweet.
Be calm! Be still! Keep still! Keep quiet! Keep going!
I didn't carry that tradition on with my children. At least I don't think so. None of them say it and I cannot remember having said it to them, so if I did say it, more than likely it was only once or twice.
But I love that little two-word admonition: Be sweet.
And thinking about it made me think about other two-word admonitions. There are so many!
Calm down! Slow down! Chow down! Get down! Pipe down! Sit down!
Sit up! Shut up! Speak up! Step up! Stand up! Hurry up! Eat up! Chin up! Pay up! Hush up! Buck up! Wake up!
Go away! Go out! Go on! Hold on! Come on! Come in! Come here! Stay here! Stay there!
Back off! Fall out! Fall in! Stick around! Keep cool! Hang loose! Hang tight! Sleep tight!
Get real! Get lost! Get up! Get out! Peace out! Chill out! Keep out! Stay out!
Be careful! Be good! Be calm! Be still! Keep still! Keep quiet! Keep going!
Don't fall! Don't worry! Don't Panic! Don't cry!
Say uncle! Say cheese! Say when!
I am sure you can think of more two-word admonitions I haven't covered.
So ...
Tell me! Chop chop!
Reader Comments (7)
Whenever I hear the parting admonition "be good", I respond with a two word response: "too late" ;-)
@ SF ... BWAAAAAAAAHAHA ... and in your case, how true ... but hey, you wouldn't be half as much fun if it weren't too late to say be good.
"Stop It!!!" seems to be something I bellowed at my boys frequently, because it saved all kinds of trouble caused by trying to be specific about which boy should stop what annoying thing that he would then swear he wasn't doing. Sometimes pets and neighbor kids would also stop whatever they were doing - bonus!
"Love you!" was said frequently as well...
and "be safe"
@ Tracie ... "stop it" and "be safe" are good two-word admonitions .. but "love you" is not a directive ... it's a statement of affection! And as such, I can't get enough of it.
Now, now!