So we were eating dinner tonight, my family and I, and I casually made a statement in reply to something my son-in-law said. I said "Yeah, he was maintaining his cool."

The whole group at the table stopped talking and all heads swung my way as a single unit, with each face wearing a huge question mark. "What? You've never heard that expression before?"

More blank stares and questioning looks.

"Yeah, back in the day it was rather common for one person to calm another down during a heated argument by saying, "Maintain." The inference being "Maintain your cool.""

I'm not sure all of them understood from whence I was coming but a couple nodded while others just continued their conversation from the point just prior to my interjection.

Then it occurred to me that I would never, ever, have thought (back when that phrase was popular) I would have been at a table explaining something like that. I can only imagine what my son or daughter might have to explain to their children while sitting at the dinner table.

I'm pretty sure it was only my wife who caught the final remark that left my mouth as the conversation resumed, and I mumbled "Crazy Hippies."