Saturday, May 09, 2009

Soor Plums and the Consolations of Philosophy

There is a particular puckered up expression displaying extreme distaste that is as visually arresting as a baboon disporting its scarlet buttocks. It has a Scottish Presbyterian provenance, beloved of Schoolmistresses and Sunday School teachers when presented with an obstreperous urchin or intimations of untoward sexual practices. To look as though one is 'sucking on a soor plum' is to be an obvious examplar of moral rectitude and Calvinist fortitude.

Here are some soor plums:



Here is a soor plum expression:



There are a lot of soor plum expressions around at the moment, what with the recession and all. I refuse to join their number, and shall instead read Sartre's 'Being and Nothingness' and say to myself "what in the name of bejasus is that ugly little French git on about?".

Thank goodness for the consolations of philosophy.

9 comments:

The Mistress said...

*moons Garfer and fecks off*

Mopsa said...

Are those green things boiled sweets? Marbles? Glass baubles? Soor plums have a little twig thing at the top where they've fallen off the tree too early and unripe. Don't they? Am I being too literal?

crazyrivergirl said...

I always hated soor plooms...especially the human variety.

The Poet Laura-eate said...

I wonder if sales of soor plums are up accordingly!

I'm a butter ball girl myself (a Northern Irish delicacy seldom seen anywhere else).

KAZ said...

Ah - the wonderful Alain de Botton.
Many times has my little face been compared to his name....or something like that.
I remember 'Little Plum' in the Beano?

Arabella said...

You got her phone number, yes?

Madame DeFarge said...

You can't beat a good soor ploom. I miss them. I have to smile more in England without their calming influence.

tim relf said...

Can't imagine why on earth she's looking so soor - that looks like a lovely icecream!

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