BASILISK

We were enjoying a typical dinner, sitting in front of the television in the family room. Les had prepared one of Gerald's favorite meals: Arizona Skillet Dinner. As usual, Gerald had the remote on "MUTE" during a commercial as I was reading paragraphs of The New Yorker television critic's review of The House Of Cards, which is Netflix's foray into television production.

Typical? Eating dinner, watching TV, and reading during commercials. Seems typical to me.

I had highlighted a word in the review I didn't know. Les had gone to the kitchen during the commercial to fetch our desserts. (Gerald is the only one who doesn't "multi-task"; he just eats and mutes the TV). Les returned; the commercial was still playing, and I said to Les, "Hey, look up this word for me", as I tried to hand him the magazine with the highlighted word. He quickly had a dictionary in hand and said, with some annoyance, "Just SAY the word." I said, "I don't know how to pronounce it." He answered, "Then just SPELL it!" I spelled out the word B-A-S-I-L-I-S-K.

Between bites of garlic bread, Gerald casually said, "Oh, that's a mythical sea creature." I said, "How the Hell did you know that?" Gerald put the TV on "PAUSE" and said, "Oh, I heard it in a science fiction movie." Les began to read aloud the definition: "A mythical reptile with a lethal gaze or breath, hatched by a serpent from a cock's egg" or "a long, slender, mostly green lizard found in Central America".

I am the one who is usually asked word meanings. Les began to hoot joyously that Gerald had one-upped me.

Les continued, "Oh, by the way you can use the word COCKATRICE as a synonym!"

Dinner at the Raypoles!