BEg2 chapter 10 Elaine v. Horst

[Michael Bailey]

Some animosity between Elaine and Horst.


“…Elaine giving Horst the usual shviger evil eye.”

https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/3873860/jewish/What-Does-Shvigger-Mean.htm

“In Jewish tradition, it is forbidden to call one’s parents by their names….
“This reverence extends to in-laws, who are called *“shvigger”* (mother-in-law)
and *“shver”* (father-in-law) respectively….
“Note that *“shvigger”* bears no relation to *“shveig,”*the Yiddish
<https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/4157123/jewish/Yiddish.htm>
word
for “be quiet.” For that matter, neither does *“shver”* have anything to do
with its homonym, *“shver,”* which means “heavy” or “difficult.” So even if
you have a mother-in-law who you wish would be quiet and a father-in-law
who is both difficult and overweight, rest assured that: a) you are not
alone, b) this has nothing to do with their Yiddish titles, which they can
still bear with pride.”




We hear you’re taking the boys out west?” sez Ernie.
         “Midwest, where I grew up.”
         “And you’re just going to hang around in the video arcades all
day,” Elaine being as nice as pie.
          “Nostalgia,” Horst tries to explain….

  “But . . . isn’t it technically kidnapping? Across state lines and
whatever?”

         “Ma,” Maxine surprising herself here, “he’s . . . their dad?”


Could be one of those sly mother-in-law things, driving them back together
by disapproval.
I mean “kidnapping”?
Suggesting the wildly inappropriate Windust?

Seems to me to work, shviger misdirection not without a little bit of real
hostility. YMMV of course.