Wednesday, November 17, 2004

“I brought you some hard-boiled eggs, and some nuts.”

The Movie: County Hospital, 1932 (H. M. Walker, screenwriter; James Parrott, dir.)
Who says it: Stan Laurel as Mr. Laurel, a hospital visitor
The context: Mr. Laurel is visiting Mr. Hardy, whose broken leg is in traction; Mr. Hardy doesn’t care for either hard-boiled eggs or nuts.
How to use it: To put the best possible spin on a totally inadequate gift.

I sympathize with Ollie's disgust in this scene, because he'd rather have candy -- who wouldn't? -- and I'd rather eat a bug than a hard-boiled egg. But the humor is in Stan's pride and hope that his offering will be acceptable, although he knows just how lame it is.

This quote occurred to me this morning while I was sending my twin sister a birthday present. You'd think that I would know her better than I know anyone, and that therefore I'd know exactly what she likes, but I don't. So Kathy, if you don't like this, maybe you can exchange it.

This morning's news that Sears and K-Mart are merging alarms me slightly, but I couldn't explain why. In honor of the news, I'll probably go buy something at Reny's today.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

When I think of Laurel and Hardy I think of "Hard Boiled eggs and nuts". My brothers and I caught this when we were kids back in the 80's and we've never forgotten that line. I don't know why we found it so damn funny.

billjarv said...

It's because hard boiled eggs stop you going to the toilet, and nuts make you fart!

Can you imagine anything less fun when confined to a hospital bed?

Anonymous said...

Yes, and while you are stipped to a hospital bed, immobilized, eating HB eggs and nuts transform your gut innards into a stone. Those foods are must-not-to-eat.