monster sarcasm rally

This is actually a pretty old story, but it came up in conversation last night, so I decided to pass it on.

Darmok* once came home to find me reading The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove. She scoffed at the title. (It's a really good book, I promise!) She asked what it was about. I hemmed and hawed for a minute trying to figure out how to put it into a few words. I explained that it was about the residents of a small town. The local shrink realises that she's been medicating people instead of actually helping. She decides to replace all the antidepressants she prescribes with placeboes.

I didn't get any further than this, because Darmok flew into disgusted hysterics. (That's disgusting! That's so gross! How could she do that? Blah blah blah...)

I paused. Thought about it for a moment. (No, not placenta. Placeboes.)

She looked at me like I was trying to pull a fast one on her. (What's the difference?)

(Placeboes are nothing; they're sugar pills.)

She still looked sceptical. (Well then why can't you just say that? You and all your stupid big words that nobody understands... You just want people to think you're smart.)

Coincidentally, we once had a similar conversation when I used the word 'savoury'.

(I can't believe you, of all people, used that word. You're an editor; you should know better than to go using big words that nobody understands.)
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*There's a good reason that I've dubbed her Darmok. Due to the obscurity of the reference, I'll award twenty points to the first person who figures it out.