Instalment Forty

The place where words are born found new life. Work orders were coming in by the day and being filled by the hour, such was the skilled turnover. New meanings for new words. The music department had sent music-memory and reconjoyment out for a song, the irrational fear boys had not shied away from handshaken, the lit branch stretched their collective imagination for exlimination and some of the young’uns in angst cobbled together populoss.

A busy, happy time, like the old days. Each new word was greeted by a huge cheer and much rejoicing. Backs slapped, new words tried out, played with and embraced, ready to be used making newer words.

Until one day when a job could not be finished, words could not be found. The Everyday Word Corps came up short.

The day after tomorrow. The day before yesterday. So simple, so useful, so hard. Pens scratched paper, fingers scratched foreheads, heads shook in dismay.

“What about Tomorrowmorrow and Yestesterday?”
“Sounds like testicle.”
“Yestermorrow and Tomorroday?”
“Yestermorrow would mean today. Next.”
“Postmorrow? Antiyester?”
“Yes, good, close, so close!”
All at once, each knotted brow unfurrowed
“Moremorrow and Lessyester!” they exclaimed.
And so they drunk till it was moremorrow.

Words new to the world.

Music-memory – The automatic recognition and anticipation of what the next song on an album will be that only occurs when you hear the final four bars of the current song. Like muscle-memory.

Reconjoyment – Only able to enjoy a song once you are familiar with it, especially important when attending concerts.

Handshaken – The fear that as you reach for a door handle on an inwards opening door, someone on the other side will suddenly, and quite violently open it, crushing your outstretched fingers.

Exlimination – When existing imagination/mental images are destroyed by real-life and you are unable to even remember what you originally pictured. Often occurring to fictional characters from books turned into films or when you see a press shot of a radio announcer that looks nothing like the picture you had in your head of how the head belonging to that voice should look.

Populoss – The disappointment and loss of ownership you feel when something you love becomes popular. Because now choosing what you love and identify with also results in the realisation of who you are identifying with, and sometimes it is easier to set free the thing you love than consciously throw your hat in with a group of people you actively dislike.

Moremorrow – the day after tomorrow.

Lessyester – the day before yesterday.