Proper Use

In the Moss Hart/George S. Kaufman play You Can't Take It With You, the unhappy, socialite, grimly businesslike parents of Tony Kirby come to meet the free-spirited, unpretentious family of his girlfriend Alice Sycamore. The following exchange occurs after the Kirbys have appeared unexpectedly a day early and are getting to know the Sycamores through the detritus of their interests that clutter the house. Mr. Kirby spots a Meccano set (like an Erector set) belonging to Paul, Alice's father.

Kirby: (he sees Paul's Meccano boat model.) Hello! What's this? I didn't know there were little children in the house.

Paul: Oh, no. That's mine.

Kirby: Really? Well, I suppose every man has his hobby. Or do you use this as a model of some kind?

Paul: No, I just play with it.

Amen, brother. Amen