The times, they are...

a-changin'.

I remember one time when I was six or seven, I came home from school and asked my mother, "Mom, what does *** mean?"

Her eyes widened. Swallowing a grin, she said, "Where did you hear that word?"

"School. What does *** mean?" Yes, I was brash enough to say it twice, even though I knew it was naughty.

"It's not a very nice word. We'll discuss it another time. Just don't say it, and especially not in front of your father."

Well, the two hours between this conversation and dinnertime gave me plenty of time to ponder *** and its implications.

Dinnertime was going smoothly, until I opened my big mouth.

"We had a spelling quiz today."

"How did you do?" Father asked.

"Good. I got 'em all right. *** wasn't on the quiz, though."

Choking down his meatloaf, my father looked at my mother and sputtered, "Did you hear what she said?"

My mother nodded. Then, they both tried to keep straight faces. Finally, my father said, "Don't say that. It's not a nice word."

That was then. This is now.

Yesterday morning I nearly choked during my morning phone conversation with my mother.

"Honey, what does *** mean?"

Struggling not to spew coffee from my nose, I asked, "Where did you hear that word?"

"Shopping. I know its regular meaning, but I think there may be another one. So, what does *** mean?" Yes, she was brash enough to say it twice.

I explained, as delicately as I could, what ***'s slang meaning meant. Then, I said, "It's not a very nice word. I don't think you should say that, and especially not in front of, um, anyone. Just don't say it, Mom."

The times, they are a-changin'.