Small Humiliations: Part XII by Courtney Mehlhaff

A friend of mine once told me that she knew someone who worked at a company that rented moving equipment. One day, a guy came in wanting to rent a trailer. The guy behind the counter ran down some specs for him, and then asked what kind of vehicle he drove, since it would determine the maximum trailer size.

"I've got a Goolie," the customer said.

"A what?"

"A Goolie," he repeated.

"I'm . . . not exactly sure what that is."

"Well, it's right outside. Take a look if you want."

Confused, the clerk headed out to the parking lot and found a beat-up old car with part of the name worn off. The man drove a Pontiac 6000 LE.

Party in Aisle 18 by Courtney Mehlhaff

This pic comes courtesy of my friend Amanda and her friendly neighborhood Cub store. 

I'm not sure if I should view the labels as a progression in an interesting night, or as an amendment to the five stages of grief. I know only one thing for sure: Aisle 18 is where it's at!

Is This Thing On? by Courtney Mehlhaff

Occasionally, I say something funny. Out loud, I mean, not here in the blog. Sometimes, those comments are well-received ... and sometimes they aren't. Two examples of the latter:

Once, I was in the elevator at the end of the day with my coworker John and another woman. John looked over at the number pad, pointed to the button that read "DH" and asked if I knew where it went. I said no. Then he said, "What do you think DH stands for?" And I said, "Direct to Hell."

In response, I got crickets. Then a tumbleweed blew across the elevator floor.

Another time, a coworker was telling me that the people in her neighborhood have a progressive dinner every fall. The previous year, the theme was Italy, so they had Italian food and wine. For the next event, my coworker suggested they do a Southern theme, or a Loveboat theme, or (my favorite) a 1930's Prohibition theme. So I said, "What are you gonna do for that, get hammered and run from the cops?" 

Nothing. Nada. 

Ah, well. I amuse myself, and I guess that's what counts.

Explicit Eavesdroppin' by Courtney Mehlhaff

The best snippets of bus conversations (from people on their phones) in the last few weeks:

"You need to call up them peoples and they'll find you a dif-ernt day at a dif-ernt time. I don't know what to tell you, homegirl. It's a fuckin' dentist office."

"No, you got problems cuz that money be burnin' a hole in your pocket. You ain't gotta spend it all right away.  Lakisha.  Lakisha.  Laki. . . listen, bitch!  . . . What forms did you have to fill out? You shoulda talked to me, I might coulda helped you with that."

"I was like, fuck yo birthday! You gon' have lots more of 'em."

"What was it called?  Twat? . . . oh, Twilight.  I seen the first one, but I ain't never got into it.  Cuz that bitch almost died an' shit.  I cain't have that.  If you gon' die, just die, don't do it halfway.  It's a motherfuckin' movie, ain't no one gonna care."

Say What? by Courtney Mehlhaff

Three of the weirdest quotes I've ever heard on the bus. Don't expect context for these, because in many cases, there wasn't any:

"That's the last time I buy a Chinese padlock."

"Fingernails are stupid. But they're useful in self defense."

"Toys for Tots, n----! Toys for Tots!"

As a side note, a homeless guy once approached me at the bus stop and told me I look like Amy Klobuchar. After I gave him 95 cents, he yelled, "Cowabunga, dude!" and ran off. I used to laugh about this occasionally until last week, when I was flipping through Minnesota Monthly and realized that, dammit, I do look like Amy Klobuchar.

Monumental Issues by Courtney Mehlhaff

I recently watched a commercial for Cialis that featured men and their ladies having various little encounters that triggered spontaneous romantic moments. In one scenario, they accidentally brushed hands while setting up a campsite, and from what I could gather, the dude was super happy he could pitch a whole different kind of tent on the spur of the moment.

What confuses me is that, at the end of the commercial, all the couples are lounging naked in his-and-her claw-foot bathtubs, sometimes in the middle of nowhere, staring out at the horizon. WHY, Cialis, WHY? Why have they dragged bathroom fixtures into a field where there is no plumbing? Why aren't they in the tub together? Is this before or after a bit of hanky panky? Was it that dirty? Or do men with ED really just want a good long soak?

It makes even less sense than the Hoveround commercial that features elderly people riding motorized scooters at the Grand Canyon. That I can actually believe. Not that they rode the scooter all the way there, but that a person could, indeed, putter around in one to sight-see.

And while I'm on the topic, remember that Lunesta ad where the animated butterfly flew around, and everything it flew past fell asleep? Did anyone else think it was odd that the butterfly flitted past Mount Rushmore and all the presidents nodded off? Why did they feel the need to feature a historic landmark? Did they really believe someone out there was thinking, "Wow, if that stuff can knock out Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt AND Lincoln, think what it can do for me!" Tune in next week when Crazy Horse has psoriasis and the Statue of Liberty has a yeast infection.

21 More Questions by Courtney Mehlhaff

Do you have a webcam?  Yes, tune in at midnite CST for a hell of a show.

Have you ever been forced to take a bath with one of your siblings?  Of course! But I drew the line last year.

When showering, do you start the water and get in or get in and start the water?  I have to start the water before I brush my teeth, b/c it takes 4 minutes to get it hot.  (Just like me.)

Do you have more enemies or more friends?  All my enemies have been eliminated, or so my sources tell me.

Have you ever sent an anonymous letter?  Letter, no.  Envelope filled with naked pictures of me, yes.

Do you follow your horoscope?  No, but I do read fortune cookies. My last fortune said, "Plan your graduation party with Leeann Chin Catering and Delivery." Profound.

Have you ever stolen anything from your friends?  Their souls. Perhaps I've said too much.

Would you kill a dog for $1000?  Depends. Is the dog an asshole?

Are you impatient?  Next question.

Do you consider yourself nice?  Go to hell.

Have you ever smoked heroin?  You're supposed to SMOKE it?! I put it under my pillow and got a grand from the heroin fairy.

What is your secret weapon to lure in the opposite sex?  I suppose I could work the dimples, but my milkshake is what brings all the boys to the yard.

Are you crazy?  Stop looking at me, swan!

Is conversate a word?  Absaloofaliciously.

Do you like Paris Hilton?  I'd shove her sparkly sunglasses up her ass but I'm afraid she'd like it.

Do you have A.D.D.?  No, unless that stands for A Delicious Derriere.

Do you love chocolate?  If you don't like chocolate, you might as well go join Al-Qaeda.

Are you a superstar?  Don't you remember you told me you loved me, baby . . .  said you'd be coming back this way again baby . . . baby baby baby baby oh baby . . .

What do you smell like right now?  Polo Ralph Lauren Blue. And success.

Do you have a hickey on your neck right now?  Why do you ask that, just because I'm wearing a turtleneck in May?

Can you name the seven dwarfs?  Pride, Greed, Sloth, Gluttony, Envy, Lust, and Wrath.

21 (Old) Questions by Courtney Mehlhaff

Remember when, back in the early days of MySpace, you could kill the better part of an afternoon just filling out random, ridiculous surveys that people forwarded to you? Before finally deleting my old account, I decided to copy some of my more bizarre and/or hilarious responses. Naturally, I've posted them for your enjoyment.

Name?  You should know, you were screaming it all last night.

Who do you trust with your life?  That's a very short list. If you're on it, you probably know it. If you're not on it but would like to be, press 1. If you're not sure you're on it, press 2. If you're on it but would like to be removed, go to hell.

If you could change your name to anything, what would it be?  Maybe Candy, because then I wouldn't have to lie when I dance.

What would you do if someone told you that you were the most beautiful person in the world and they would do anything to wake up to your face each and every morning?  I would say, "Thanks, but I'm still not giving you change for the bus."

Who is the nicest person you know?  Whoever doesn't try to monopolize my corner.

Have you ever snuck out of your house/someone in your house?  Have I ever snuck out of someone in my house? That's so dirty! And difficult to do without waking them.

How did you get the idea for your MySpace name?  It was a very long, drawn-out process that involved a peg-legged gypsy woman and my star chart. 

What does your dad do for a living?  He says he's in auto insurance, but I don't think that explains the multiple passports and semiautomatic in his bottom desk drawer.

What did you dream last night?  I can't remember, but last Friday night I dreamed I was in a gun battle in a Korean parking garage.  Figure that out, Freud!

Have you ever done something to make trouble?  Some called it an "international incident" . . . I just called it a brief but torrid affair with a certain young man third in line from the throne of England.  Big whoop.

Are you mad at anyone at the moment?  Mitt Romney.  Because what kind of a name is Mitt, anyway?

If you had to be reincarnated as a sea dwelling creature, what would you be?  A giant squid, because I would be universally feared and admired for my powers of suction. Wait . . . 

Of all people, with whom would you want to be stuck in a well?  Anybody with a flotation device and survival skills.

Do you like to spoon?  I like to fork.

What do you wanna name your kids?  Oh come on. Women don't share that. What if some bitch steals your idea?

How many houses have you lived in?  Two with my family, one in Japan, and one while those people were on vacation.  Shhhh!

How many watches do you own?  One. And it's always peanut butter jelly time.

Have you ever been to Kentucky?  I don't think so, but I notice my cousin's name is on this marriage certificate, so you do the math.

How many lamps are in your bedroom?  Only one. Any more and there's too much glare off the mirror on the ceiling.

Easiest person to talk to?  Rob Lowe. He hasn't done anything worthwhile since The West Wing, and he's not doing anything right now. Go ahead. Call him. He'll be there.

Have you ever stripped?  For money, no. For the sheer joy of the pasties, yes.