Scallywag

After Monday tennis doubles, B.J. and I sat down to relax and just share conversation.  As the subject matter shifted to and fro, I asked if B.J. was going to watch the UC Basketball game or the Republican Debate.  B.J. (who is in his mid-80's) said he had no desire to listen to the politicians.  We then proceeded to reflect on each of the final four - Romney, Gingrich, Santorum, and Paul.  Then it came out - "That Gingrich is a bit of a Scallywag".  I had to smile.   It reminded me of the many sayings and descriptive terms that Grandpa Wells would, at the right moment, reveal and those Dad would say, at the right moment.

I say at the right moment, because when I would ask either for a few more of these verbal jewels, they would just say - "I can't think of them off the top of my head - it needs to be the right description for the right picture, at the right time. 

The one I remember the most, from Grandpa, was when we were both watching  a TV news program and suddenly Gene Shalit (a movie critic) began to review the latest movie.  It must have been the first time Grandpa had seen Gene Shalit, when he blurted out "That boy looks like the north side of a horse headed south"!   I roared with laughter.

So I asked B.J. - what exactly is a scallywag?  He responded - well it's in the category of rascal. Well in looking it up in the dictionary,  B.J. was spot on - in fact the descriptive term for Gingrich may have been ironically accurate even in historical terms.

From the Free Dictionary:

scallywag [ˈskælɪˌwæg]

n

1. Informal a scamp; rascal

2. (Historical Terms) (after the US Civil War) a White Southerner who supported the Republican Party and its policy of Black emancipation. Scallywags were viewed as traitors by their fellow Southerners Also scalawag scallawag