But, he kept calling his car an EX-CALADE. It drove Hubber batshit crazy. At least once a week I’d get an earful about how much it bugged him that the guy couldn’t say the word “ESCALADE” properly.
At first, I asked Hubber to give the guy a break… maybe he has a lisp. But, then, I met the guy to try to help him build his website and I got to experience his blatant disregard for proper pronunciation first-hand. Honestly, I couldn’t get past it. I started counting the number of times he said the word wrong. It’s what I do when someone uses a particular word (or fake word, in this case) a lot. I quit listening to the message because I get stuck on that word and my mind completely shuts down so that it can focus on counting the number of times the word spews forth and attempts to turn my brain to mush.
After our first meeting, I told Hubber there was no fucking way I’d be able to work with that guy.
Hubber: Right?! It’s because he says Excalade, huh?
Me: He said it exactly 53 times during our 30 minute meeting.
Hubber: Could it be that he doesn't know that he’s saying it wrong?
Me: Oh, he knows! He’s doing it on purpose to fuck with us. It’s like those people who say “ax” instead of “ask”! They know they’re saying that shit wrong! They think it’s cute!
Hubber: Well, it's not cute. These people are a menace to society. I’m going to have to quit my job to get away from this idiot.
So, one day, before Hubber went completely AWOL (or worse, homicidal), he decided to confront the guy.
Hubber: Maaaan. If you call your Escalade an Excalade one more time, I’m going to have to punch you square in the fucking mouth.
Mr. Excalade: What are you talking about? It IS pronounced EXcalade.
Hubber: The letters E and S together make the “essss” sound not the “exxx” sound.
Mr. Excalade: Oh, I’m not saying the name of the car. I’m saying the name of my company! I spell it: X-C-A-L-A-D-E. It’s a play on words, man! Don’t you get it?!
Hubber: It is NOT a play on words. It’s a word you fucking made up and it sounds ridiculous, like you don’t know how to pronounce the name of the car properly.
Mr. Excalade: Well, I have a buddy who is an expert in marketing and he says that any company name or new product name starting with the letter X is 90% more likely to be successful.
Hubber: That’s the biggest load of bullshit I’ve heard all year!
Mr. Excalade: I’m serious! He’s an expert! He had statistics and everything!
The next day, by some mysterious circumstances that I wasn’t made privy to, Mr. Excalade was “transferred to another department” and we never spoke of him (nor heard from him) again. I'm not saying that Hubber was somehow involved in foul play...but I am saying that the guy was never reported missing... so.... who really knows...?
And to this day, anytime I see the “clever” use of an X in front of the name of a business, I think about this guy and wonder if his business ever took off.
Then, today, I saw this truck:
 |
| ... COULD IT BE...?? |
