Day Twenty-Three (Revised)

I'm getting old. I used an expression today that has been co-opted by the youth and consequently now has a totally different meaning.

"He went to town."

Old Man definition: He did a lot of work, over did it.

INT. CLASSROOM - LATER

A Student shows her Teacher a paper she wrote for History.

INSERT - PAPER

It is covered with RED SLASHES and ARROWS highlighting all of her MISTAKES.

BACK TO CLASSROOM

Teacher - Geeze, it looks like he drew a map all over this.

Student - Yeah.

Teacher - I mean, he really went to town.

A Girl SNICKERS.

Teacher - What?

Girl (snickering) - You said, "Went to town."

Teacher - Yeah, he really went to town.

Girl LAUGHS even harder.

Teacher - What?

Girl - You don't know what that means?

Teacher - Yeah, it means he did a lot of work.

Girl - Can I tell you what it really means?

Teacher - Please do.

Girl - Wait. I don't want to say it. Can I write it down?

Teacher - Yeah.

Girl - Wait. Can I say it?

Teacher - Say it!

Girl (whispering into ear) - It means getting f*@ked real hard.

Teacher - How does that mean that?

Girl (chuckling) - Like, he really went to town on her.

Teacher just SHAKES his head.

END SCENE

Kids...What can I say?

It's times like this when I really empathize with my ELL students (English Language Learners). They say that the English language is so hard to learn because of all its subtle differences.

"Going to town." How's that for subtle?

And that in a nutshell is why I still like teaching.

Signing off.

Birds-Eye