My understanding of what’s going on for people who are confused: she’s playing the social “game” of “pretend I don’t want the thing I actually want so I don’t appear demanding and instead make the other person insist”. Everett understandably finds that “game” annoying and basically tells her to go fuck herself for playing it.
Ironically it’s actually kinda unintentionally progressive imo. He’s basically forcing her to actually speak up and assert herself instead of playing the “make the man tell me to do” game.
It’s kinda like how Japanese culture expects for you to deny a gift up to 3 times before accepting, but more gender-focused and misogynistic. Everett is basically saying “fuck that game, if you want the seat, take the seat; don’t play games with me and waste my time.”
This was also my interpretation, as a former straphanger plebe. Take the courtesy that’s offered, if only for the sake of expediency, it’s hot, the bus smells, just siddown.
Ironically it’s actually kinda unintentionally progressive imo. He’s basically forcing her to actually speak up and assert herself instead of playing the “make the man tell me to do” game.
This is so true
How does one pronounce “lief”? LEEF? LIFE?
Pronounced like leaf. Apparently it basically means “gladly”. Seems to have died out in the early 20th century.
lief
/lēf/adverb
Readily; willingly.
“I would as lief go now as later.”Gladly; willingly; freely; – now used only in the phrases, had as lief, and would as lief.
“I had, or would, as lief go as not”I imagine it’s related to relief. Interesting. That’s a relief = that makes me glad again.
It sounds a lot like the dutch “net zo lief” which translates to “just as lovely” and we still use it today in this context.
i learned! Thanks!!
I’ve read it in older books with even older characters, but I’ve not once heard it said! Thank you.
Dang dude, she just didn’t want to sit. Take a chill pill.
Except that she actually did want to sit and was just playing that silly overpolite game. True wasn’t playing tho.
Reminds me of the J-Drama /K-Drama called “Legal High”.
Lief? As in Erikson?
That would be Leif.
“Lief” I have never encountered before, it means gladly or willingly.
This is the second time this week I’ve learnt a new (old) word from Mr. True.
I’ve seen “liefer” for “rather” but not just “lief”on its own.
This Everett guy is a bit of cunt isn’t he.
He’s the exasperated annoyed grumpy person in us that wants to overreact to everything, so absolutely. Kind of cathartic though, very relatable.
Like every comic he goes from 0 to Violent rage immediately. I love it and I’m horrified by it the same time.
Yeah, but he’s a cunt for our times.
