Mostly Harmless

Mother! That's it!

I commend to you this small addition to the world's bank of colloquialisms.

When I was at school some evil friend had laid upon my little circle the curse of the Reluctant Surgeon Problem. All of us had attained enlightenment (after various embarrassing intervals) save one poor unfortunate, who was still wrestling with it two days later. I think he was working on some scheme involving identical twins and amnaesia.

Anyway, in the middle of a rather subdued physics lesson he suddenly cried out "Mother! That's it!" to general laughter and the consternation of the physics teacher. This phrase then became popular with us for any situation where a long awaited insight finally arrives - something like "eureka!". This is a modest attempt to revive it.

I admit it sounds a little outré, but you will have the quiet satisfaction of knowing what it really means.

Posted at 06:56PM Oct 26, 2006 by John Alderson in Problem Solving  |  Comments[0]