Lyrics Things We Say When People Die - George Carlin

Things We Say When People Die

Now, speaking of dead people, there are things we say when someone dies, most of us say, a lot of us do, things we say that no one ever questions.
They just kind of go unexamined.
I’ll give you a couple of examples.
After someone dies, the following conversation is bound to take place probably more than once.
Two guys meet on the street.
“Hey, did you hear?
Phil Davis died.”
“Phil Davis?
I just saw him yesterday.”
Yeah?
Didn’t help.
He died anyway.
Apparently, the simple act of your seeing him did not slow his cancer down.
In fact, it may have made it more aggressive.
You know, you could be responsible for Phil’s death.
How do you live with yourself?
Here’s another thing they say after a death.
This is usually said to the surviving spouse.
“Listen, if there’s anything I can do, anything at all, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
What are you going to do, a resurrection?
This ain’t the fucking New Testament, you know.
You know what you tell a guy like that who wants to help?
Well fine, why don’t you come over this weekend?
You can paint the garage.
Bring your plunger.
The upstairs toilet overflowed and there’s shit all over the floor up there.
Do you drive a tractor?
Good.
That’ll come in handy.
The north 40 needs a lot of attention.
Bring your chainsaw and your pickaxe.
We’re going to put your ass to work.
He wants to help?
Fuck him.
Call his bluff.
Call his bluff.
“Don’t hesitate to ask.”
The nerve of these pricks.
Here’s another thing we say to the surviving spouse.
“I’m keeping him in my thoughts.”
Where?
Where exactly in your thoughts does he fit?
In between my ass hurt in this chair and let’s fuck the waitress?
What are your priorities?
We use a lot of euphemisms when we talk about death, you know.
People say things like, “You know, I lost my father.”
Ah, he’ll turn up.
You’ve got to stay optimistic with people like that.
Give them reason to hope.
Have you checked the dumpster out back?
He used to like to take a nap in there.
Keep it upbeat.