wouldn't it be nice

you know what would be nice? it would be nice to ride the train alongside my seven-year-old daughter from the chaos of union station to the fumes of lawrence station without hearing the "s" word a half-dozen times. or the "f" word a half-dozen times. or even the "a" word a half-dozen times. 'cause i'm pretty sure my kid has already overheard those choice designations at least a half-dozen times before. and she doesn't exactly need any reinforcements, thank you very much. for i've heretofore put in a considerable amount of time and energy preaching the evils of the expletive. the villainy of the vulgar. the perils of the profane. why, i've even been known to nod approvingly at the familiar caveat warning of impending "coarse language" heard at the outset of select prime-time programming. yeah, you know the one... just before the admonishment that "viewer discretion is advised." and so my eldest hardly requires a refresher coarse [sic] on the cursing and cussing that seems to dominate the modern vernacular of this generation's ill-timed and illiterate. for what it's worth.

probably a little before your time