Sunday Scribblings #103 – Junk

I have this interesting relationship with the word “junk”.

I can hear myself saying it with emphasis:  “JJJUNK“.

This way of saying it involves using seriously pursed lips for the /j/ sound, a clipped /k/ and an overall kind of harsh-slash-angry pronunciation of the whole word.

Is it a suprise that my twin sister Kim says this word in the very same way? And that now my husband Paul and my nephew Andrew follow suit? Imitation is a form of flattery, or so they say….

When Paul and I moved from Jedburgh Rd. to Cambridge Ave, I remember him wanting to sell stuff we’d been storing in our basement left by Vivian (the previous owner).  They were things we thought we might use some day, but had never got around to doing so in the 5 years we’d lived there.

So obviously this stuff wasn’t much use to us (i.e., it was JUNK), and I seriously questioned whether it would be of any use or interest to anyone else.  Nonetheless.  the debate was about the effort involved in selling it vs. the ease of walking it down the driveway. Posting it on Craigslist, getting a fair price and arranging delivery was far too much to think about in my mind. Walking a few steps to the curb was much more reasonable and efficient for me.

Paul argued that the stuff was “antique”.  I  maintained it was “junk”.

In the end, it ended up on the curb. My fastidiousness and purging attitude won out over Paul’s laziness. Bonus for me!