Public Schooling, Private Joke

(I grew up homeschooled, and led a fairly sheltered life as a teenager. I am out with my mother and husband at the local dollar store. We pass a display of ceramic ‘novelty’ bongs in the dollar store.)

Me: “Hey, Mom. Look at the pretty vases!”

(My mother and husband look at each other and start cracking up laughing.)

Me: “What? What did I say?”

Mother: *wiping away tears* “Well, I guess I should be proud you don’t know what those are.”

Me: *to husband* “This is one of those public school things, huh?”

(He is laughing too hard to respond, so he just nods.)