The California State Assembly passed a resolution proclaiming this week “Cuss-Free Week.” What that means is that every Californian is being “encouraged” not to use profanity all this week. How do I know this? Because Jasmine told me. Jasmine is 9-years-old and the daughter of a close friend who’s a single mother. I spent the good part of this evening baby-sitting her while her mother was out at a business function and I soon learned that Jasmine’s teacher had told her about cuss-free week and that Jasmine decided it was the right time to confront me about my “cussing problem.”
“Uncle Phil,” she laid into me, “I think you cuss too much. I think it’s a real problem. It’s probably why you’re so old and you’re not married. Girls don’t like boys with dirty mouths.”
“Really?” I reply. I’m only half-listening to her; too busy surfing the web on my lap top.
“That’s why my mommy left my daddy,” Jasmine continues; oblivious to my pressing need to keep up with Angry Asian Man’s most recent posts. “He had a dirty mouth.”
