24 Aug 07
Coming up with the right thing to say when it’s too late. The French have a term for it: l’espirit de l’escalier. Staircase wit. When you’re leaving a party, going down the stairs, perhaps playing over an incident in your head, and you think of that perfect riposte.
Staircase wit isn’t limited to insults and witty retorts though. It can be any moment when you can’t think of anything to say, only to reach an epiphany soon after.
Sometimes, when I’m feeling shy or anti-social or just plain flustered, the entire day is filled with such moments.
I always end up saying what I want in my dreams, but it’s never as satisfying. This is how I know that life isn’t a dream.
Otherwise, I’d be more witty.
I’m glad there’s a term for it. It paints such a romantic scene with its phrase, dramatic lighting, dark wood, rich colors, distant party babble, cool breeze coming up from the night air mixing with the stale, smoked and perfumed air of the upper landing.
I know, for some reason, when I hear the term, I always imagine an imperial party. This was before I found out that it was coined in the 1700s. That’s how one knows it’s a great expression: it communicates so much, transcending language and society, in a few words.
Marvelous phrase, I’d never bumped into it before. Reminds me of Cyrano insulting his own nose…. and winning over everyone at every pause.
I had to look up Cyrano de Bergerac to understand the reference, and it sounds like a very interesting play.