YOU ARE BEEN WATCH
DO THE CRIME DO THE TIME;
Although it bears a striking resemblance to the immoderately moderated Wannabeens-R-Us blog, this phrase is not posted in that fractured locale as a biddy's warning to gremlins huffing sewer gas.
It also isn’t a direct quote from Dan “Them People” Coffey, although he's been capable of worse.
Rather, it is a warning to shoplifters, as posted throughout a business near here.
Yes, I know; the trognonymous apologists will be hammering me (again) for even bringing things like this up, but shouldn’t there be at least a modicum of respect for the language hereabouts?
Unless, of course, the example cited isn’t non-ironic illiteracy at all. Instead, perhaps we are to regard it as shtick in the time-honored manner of the Beverly Hillbillies and the down-home chain restaurant PoFolks (the official eatery of “Freedom of Speech”).
Or, it might be a lyric from a country song, a tag line from the Cable Guy, or some other popular usage that he eluded me.
Do you tell a guy that his zipper’s down, or hope he notices before too many people laugh?
Or do you just laugh when it becomes evident that showing his underwear is an intentional fashion statement?
My son and I were playing in a downtown park last week when a young male of the white trash persuasion saundered by with his pants down around his thighs and his entire boxer-short nether-world on public display. To a 5 year old boy, nothing could be more embarassing than your pants falling down in public - or funny. So he pointed at him and in his loudest voice said "Mommy - does he know his pants are falling off?" I pretended I didn't know his "attire" was intentional and said "No - I don't think he realizes his pants are falling off...should we tell him?" This just made my son laugh hysterically. I think the thug-kid was a tad embarassed, he picked up his pace, not to mention the corner of his jeans, and smirked off. Like you say Roger - I don't know whether to laugh or cry sometimes around here.
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ReplyDeleteI suggest taking out your Sharpie and fixing their signs. If you are really "been watched" someone from the store will say, "What are you doing?" You can reply, "I have being changing your signs."
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