The Andre-Filter

This post is dedicated to Madeleine and (especially) Annmarie who dutifully filter my comments every day during third period.

You know that friend who says things sometimes that might come off as rude/mean/embarrassing but they truly mean well? If I was the first one to pop into your head SHAME ON ME!!! I am prone to doing this all the time. I'll say something, see the appalled faces of my audience, and backtrack to try and be no clear. Recently though the appalled faces have disappeared though! Which leads me to the conclusion that when the my friend's appalled face disappears they have finally developed the Andre-Filter. Yes, this is a filter that after many long hours talking to me you acquire which filters out the rude/mean/embarrassing crap I say and understand what I really mean to say. I think an example is in order.

I was discussing grades with a friend and how she hadn't done so hot in the third quarter. I remember moaning about the fact that I got a B+ in Drivers Ed with a friend (I think you know who you are!) and how it sticks out like a sore thumb when I realized how absurd it was to be pointing out my straight A's (let's face it, Drivers Ed is NOT a class, it is part of your PE grade in which I got an A thank you very much) when my friend had gotten mostly Bs (but I just wanted to say that she is a great student!!). So I say something along the following line, "I mean, not that getting straight Bs isn't terrible, because it is..." and then I stop and realize that I just told her that getting the grades she got was a terrible thing which was NOT what I meant to say! What I really meant to say was something like, "I mean, I know its stupid that I'm moaning about this and I really do sympathize with your sadness towards getting those unfair grades" or something like that. Luckily my friend pointed out that she had developed an Andre-Filter (she was the one who coined the term, Andre-Filter) and that she knew what I meant to say. Which lead me to these conclusions:

1) I love the fact that she had developed something called an Andre-Filter
and
2) That my friend has grown close enough to understand what I want to say even though I don't explicitly say it. I'm so happy I'm your friend person-who-got-Bs-during-the-third-quarter! =]
and
3) Did I really say that??

Nonetheless if you've got an Andre-Filter you know we're close!

UYL,
Andre