Reiterate
Definition
: to state or do over again or repeatedly sometimes with wearying effect
Can you guess the meaning of iterate, a less common relative of reiterate? It must mean simply
"to state or do," right? Nope. Actually, iterate also means "to state or do again." It's no surprise, then,
that some usage commentators have insisted that reiterate must always mean "to say or do again
AND AGAIN."
"to state or do," right? Nope. Actually, iterate also means "to state or do again." It's no surprise, then,
that some usage commentators have insisted that reiterate must always mean "to say or do again
AND AGAIN."
“Look,” the genie said impatiently. “This is like, the 236th time we’ve tried this. Are you sure you don’t
just want to change your wish?”
just want to change your wish?”
“No!” I snapped at him as I hid behind the tired shrubbery plants that were supposed to create a
‘natural and serene’ atmosphere, as if you were someone in the south of France basking in the
sunlight. As this restaurant was based in the centre of town, on a main road, the effect was completely
ruined of course. Even the pot of the plant in front of me was stuffed to the brim with cigarette butts.
‘natural and serene’ atmosphere, as if you were someone in the south of France basking in the
sunlight. As this restaurant was based in the centre of town, on a main road, the effect was completely
ruined of course. Even the pot of the plant in front of me was stuffed to the brim with cigarette butts.
The genie was still hissing in my ear. “I mean, seriously. You keep trying and trying but the same thing
happens every time. Plus, the universe has clocked on to what you’re trying to do now and it clearly
doesn’t like it. Why else are more and more obstacles being thrown in your path every time you reset
the day? Seriously, you should just give up.”
happens every time. Plus, the universe has clocked on to what you’re trying to do now and it clearly
doesn’t like it. Why else are more and more obstacles being thrown in your path every time you reset
the day? Seriously, you should just give up.”
I gritted my teeth. “No.” I said. “I’ve run the numbers. Here and now is the only time I can change the
path I’m on. If I don’t do it now, then my life spirals down into the hell hole it was when I met you. It
has to be this.”
path I’m on. If I don’t do it now, then my life spirals down into the hell hole it was when I met you. It
has to be this.”
“And if it’s not?” the genie asked. “If doing this, and by some miracle you succeed at pitting yourself
against fate and the universe and you actually do the impossible and change the outcome of this day.
What happens if it changes nothing about your own life? You’ve just put a whopping great target on
your back for no reason.”
against fate and the universe and you actually do the impossible and change the outcome of this day.
What happens if it changes nothing about your own life? You’ve just put a whopping great target on
your back for no reason.”
I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms hard enough to make them bleed. “It will change
things.” I snarled back. “It has to.”
things.” I snarled back. “It has to.”
The genie sighed and looked at me with something like pity. “You just can’t be honest, can you?”
“You just can’t be honest, can you?” Same question, different voice.
My head snapped up, watching a tall figure leave the restaurant and walk away.
“There goes the target.” The genie said.
I sprang through the poor potted plants, knocking them over in my haste. Chasing after the figure that
somehow already seemed miles away. Ignoring my stupid other self that was still sitting at the
restaurant table, waiting for her partner to return.
somehow already seemed miles away. Ignoring my stupid other self that was still sitting at the
restaurant table, waiting for her partner to return.
Not knowing that he never would.
Not knowing that this was the point she would never recover from, that her life would just keep
spiraling down and down into misery until at some point she was rooting through a charity shop
rejects bin and found the battered, faded pink lamp that the genie had been trapped in.
spiraling down and down into misery until at some point she was rooting through a charity shop
rejects bin and found the battered, faded pink lamp that the genie had been trapped in.
I barely spared my other self (trying hard to pretend that she was completely absorbed in her phone
and not at all bothered by the fact her lunch partner had stormed out) a second glance. All I could see
was that figure striding off a head, moving faster and faster out of my reach.
and not at all bothered by the fact her lunch partner had stormed out) a second glance. All I could see
was that figure striding off a head, moving faster and faster out of my reach.
I leapt over the serving trolley that was carelessly pushed in front of me, swerved to avoid the falling
flower pot from the balcony above, completely ignored the little old ladies cussing me out for my rude
behaviour, shoved past the salesman who was trying to get me to sign up to a year’s supply of
paintballing equipment, blanked the government official who was on the street taking a survey, flew
past the religious recruiters who tried to bombard me with leaflets, dashed through the onsite camera
crew who were trying to report on the looming UFOs above, slid through the tentacles of the aliens
who had just been transported down to earth and were looking for a guide, ran over the cars that had
begun to swerve and back into each other as panic set in and still he was too far away.
flower pot from the balcony above, completely ignored the little old ladies cussing me out for my rude
behaviour, shoved past the salesman who was trying to get me to sign up to a year’s supply of
paintballing equipment, blanked the government official who was on the street taking a survey, flew
past the religious recruiters who tried to bombard me with leaflets, dashed through the onsite camera
crew who were trying to report on the looming UFOs above, slid through the tentacles of the aliens
who had just been transported down to earth and were looking for a guide, ran over the cars that had
begun to swerve and back into each other as panic set in and still he was too far away.
I scrambled over the cars, ignoring the yelling of the people about me as they failed to get hold of their
car insurers, ignored the sky that was starting to boiled with red stained clouds, ignored the way the
skin scraped off my left knee as I landed awkwardly on the pavement.
car insurers, ignored the sky that was starting to boiled with red stained clouds, ignored the way the
skin scraped off my left knee as I landed awkwardly on the pavement.
The bell tower for the church at the corner of the road began to toll the hour.
The genie was right, I was never going to make it on time.
“You just can’t be honest, can you?”
This would be the 237th failure.
I’d have to watch the results of my failure for the 237th time.
I’m not sure I could stomach watching it for the 238th time.
“You just can’t be honest, can you?”
I took a deep breath in, filling my lungs as far as they could go.
“I’M SORRY!” I yelled, as hard as I could, loud enough to make the waiters, the little old ladies, the
salesman, the government official, the religious recruiters, the camera crew and reporter, the aliens
and the people in their crash cars look at me.
salesman, the government official, the religious recruiters, the camera crew and reporter, the aliens
and the people in their crash cars look at me.
Loud enough for you to stop. Loud enough for you to turn around and smile.
The last thing I saw as I dissolved into nothingness, the price of going against the universe and
changing your fate, was you, running towards me, not being hit by the car that had spun out of control
as it tried to avoid the other crashed cars.
changing your fate, was you, running towards me, not being hit by the car that had spun out of control
as it tried to avoid the other crashed cars.
I smiled.
“Worth it?” the genie asked.
“Worth it.” I agreed softly.
Then there was nothing but the dark.
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