Last time, we saw two girls talking. They used expressions with the names of fruit in them. Let's continue with the explanations, and a restatement of the conversation.

-- (To compare) apples and oranges: A fairly recent expression, it is usually understood to mean that it's difficult to compare two things that are very unlike each other. Personally, I find apples and oranges easy to compare. But a deeper understanding of the expression tells us not to judge an orange by the standards of an apple: "This orange isn't red enough," etc.

-- "Mom and apple pie": An expression that is said to capture the spirit of America. We do our patriotic duties "for Mom and apple pie." It carries a secondary meaning of decent, honest, and wholesome.

-- Life (is) a bowl of cherries: It means that life is wonderful; it's the title of a song from back in 1931.

-- Sour grapes: This means calling something worthless because you can't have it. In a story by Aesop, a fox tries to get some grapes. When he can't reach them, he declares that they must be sour anyway. Laverne calls guys "useless" because she can't find one.

-- One bad apple (can) spoil the whole barrel: This proverb means that one bad member of a group can have a bad influence on all the good ones. In this case, Shirley is telling Laverne not to let one "bad apple" (Lenny) cause her to give up on all the "apples" (other men).

Here is the conversation again, with the meanings substituted for the idioms and proverbs. Please compare it to the one in the previous column.

Laverne: I think I'm going to break up with Lenny.

Shirley: Really? I thought you were his favorite!

Laverne: Yeah, he's still says he's crazy about me. But I can't say the same. I thought he was a good man, but it turns out I got something disappointing.

Shirley: Well, you know what they say: "When life is difficult, make the best of it."

Laverne: It's too much work. But I guess Lenny is better than Bob was.

Shirley: Come on, you're comparing two people who can't be compared at all. Bob wasn't a good person; Lenny is so wholesome, a real decent, wholesome person.

Laverne: Yeah, but life with him isn't always wonderful. Guys are so useless!

Shirley: Oh, you're just saying that because you can't find a decent man. Don't give up on all men because you've met one bad one!

Laverne: Well, we'll see...