More on Clocks and Other Matters

I was glad to learn (see the comment on yesterday’s entry) that the “clocks” on Philip Marlowe’s socks refer to “any short embroidered or woven ornament on each side or on the outer side of a stocking,” to cite the definition in my Random House dictionary. Good to learn something everyday, no matter how small. In fact, small is usually better.

So I have blue clock socks now, strictly speaking. But I still prefer to think of Marlowe wearing actual little clock faces in blue. There’s nothing to say he didn’t.

One of my credit card bills was quite large this month, swollen by its frequent use in North Dakota, Alberta and points in between. I mailed the check today for the whole enchilada, a satisfying feeling since I’m sure the check will clear and the enchilada will not come back again coated with a mess o’ gooey interest. I reviewed the list charges to make sure nothing I didn’t buy found its way onto the tally, and nothing did.

I really did buy $40.80 worth of gas/sundries (gum, if I remember right) at Loaf N Jug in Fargo, ND. I was so delighted with that name I picked it over competing gas stations. “Loaf N Jug,” I said. “What a name.” I repeated it a few times just for the enjoyment of saying it. No one else in the car was impressed. I even picked up a Loaf N Jug credit car application, though my intention to actually apply for such a card went from slim to none in short order.

The two-thirds amputated “ands” figured in other gas station names, at least in the United States (perhaps it’s banned in Canada since there may be no French equivalent). In writing them, I refuse to write ’n or ’N, which is how it’s almost always done, but it would be too persnickety even for me to write ’n’ or ’N’ so I omit the apostrophes altogether. There was Grab N Go, Killdeer, ND, which sounds like an invitation to shoplift, and the unfortunately named Kum N Go, Williston, ND, but seen in a number of other places, including last year in South Dakota. Or maybe that was Kum & Go. An invitation to do something besides shoplifting.