MIDLIFE/OLD AGE "OH BOO"

i used to have a boss who, after turning fifty, started buying "muscle" cars and calling elderly folks "fops" - i'm sure everyone knows what that means.

the children were small, but each could read and spell single syllable words by the age of a little over four-and-a-half.

i was laughing about my boss' use of the "fop" and one of the little ones wanted to know what it meant, so i lied and said, "frikkin' old people!" thus began a car game for our travels over the next couple of years.

it would go something like this:

zgirl to nancson: "clops!" nancson, "huh?" zgirl, "crazy little old people!"

me to pop: "flops!" pop, "freaky little old people?" me, "uh-huh!"

nancson to me: "slops!" me, "slippery little old people? him, "nope - slimy little old people, mama!"

and so the game went on and on with many repeats with differing meanings.

chops - crumby, hateful old people

crops - crazy, rude old people

glops - gory little old people

sops - stinkin' old people

pops - poopy old people

bops - big old people

yada-yada-yada - do you or have you ever made up any "ops" of your own?

now that i've begun descending the mountain, i have to wonder what "ops" i'll be tagged with...

...oh boo...