Swear By Respect

(My younger sister has recently come home from a religious retreat. She and my mom are arguing about my sister being allowed to swear.)

Mom: “No! You shouldn’t swear. I don’t care if you do it with your friends, but you shouldn’t swear around adults! No one will respect you.”

Sister: “But adults swear around me!”

Mom: “Name one.”

Sister: “Besides you, Dad, and [My Name]?”

Mom: “[My Name] isn’t an adult.”

Sister: “Yes, he is. He’s 21!”

Mom: “Oh, yeah. Fine, name someone outside of the family who has sworn in front of you.”

Sister: “The priest!”

Mom: “What?”

Sister: “The priest at the retreat today dropped the ‘a-word.’ And I can’t think of someone who gets more respect.”

(My mom just kind of stood there stammering. I had to leave the room because I was laughing so hard.)