People say a lot more with their word choice than most people hear. But Ike’s ear was tuned in. When Cindy said, “My son is engaged,” he asked how far off the wedding is. The date hadn’t been set yet. That didn’t surprise Ike. He said, “When it’s far off, mothers will refer to an engagement. When it’s close in they say, “My son is getting married.”
I missed that nuance, but it seemed obvious once ike pointed it out.