There’s an expression I hear fairly regularly that fairly regularly causes me consternation: “I can’t wait for the big game.”
Doesn’t have to be the “big game,” just anything that exists in the future that someone can’t wait for.
Time, time, time
See what’s become of me
While I looked around for my possibilities
What exactly do they mean by it? They have no choice but to wait. There is no other option. They’re expressing that they are looking forward to the event, I understand, but the choice of words is very telling.
“I can’t wait…” seems to infer the ability to time travel.
I know, quite a leap there, but its only conclusion that makes any sense. “I can’t wait for the big game,” so they move forward in time until they are witnessing the big game.
The words were spoken at one time by these time travelers and are left as evidence in our language.
Hang on to your hopes, my friend
That’s an easy thing to say
But if your hopes should pass away
Simply pretend that you can build them again
We are of course biased towards moving through time from the past to the future, but we should be cognoscente that going the other way might be just as interesting.
Watching fireworks. Watching a car crash and sitting back and thinking to yourself, “I can’t wait to see what led up to that.” Reading this and wondering what gave me the original idea. Going to the bathroom. Sitting down, unwiping and then waiting for the poop to launch itself from the toilet cleanly into your anus (take a minute picture it, imagine it, how it would feel). That would be worth the price of admission right there.
And it would explain, finally, the expression, “Taking a shit.”
Another breadcrumb deposited in our language.
Seasons change with the scenery
Weavin’ time in a tapestry
Won’t you stop and remember me?
*Hazy Shade of Winter lyrics © Paul Simon Music, Sony/atv Songs Llc