Go to What I SHOULD Have Said... main page
Here is one story retold,
albeit with a pithier ending:
From bibliophilefactor:
An Announcement at School
What happened: At my high school, the sophomores were to be excused early to take the PLAN test, so when the authoritative person in the office made the announcement, she said "Teachers, please excuse the sophomores to go to the cafeteria for PLAN testing. The day will continue as normal for the rest of the population."
What I said: Took me a few seconds to get it.
What I SHOULD have said: (I did say it, but it was off-beat) "*Prisons* have populations, schools have student bodies!"
L'esprit d'escalier
The French call it l'esprit d'escalier, "the wit of the staircase," those biting ripostes that are thought of just seconds too late, on the way out of the room-or even, to tell the truth, days later. It's happened to you: you've suddenly thought of just what would put your foe in his or her place, but past the time when the arrow could sting its victim. You've stewed in your own juice ever since, and the chance for singeing repartee is gone forever.
Or is it?
Dorothy Parker or Oscar Wilde may have had the rapier wit to tweak their tormentors on the spot, but for the rest of us, we offer the Internet's only L'esprit d'escalier web site!
