Words: twirly, n.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.SERENA MACKESY'S hoot of a first novel The Temp has acute antennae for contemporary idiom, such as twirly - neither a dance move nor a key but "old ladies. They all call them that on the buses." These stiff-jointed seniors are not mentioned by the OED, Jonathon Green or Tony Thorne.
"You know how they all wake up at six in the morning and spend the next three and a half hours pacing up and down until it's time to go off to the supermarket to get cat food the moment the old girls' cards come into action? Well, Rodney says that at 9.28 every morning, they're all there at every bus stop, all the old ladies, with their shopping bags, all the old ladies, with their shopping bags on wheels, waving their old girls' cards and going, `Am I twirly?' "
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments