--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We called them theochemists,” Marie said…" description: "\"“We called them theochemists,” Marie said. They stuck out in more ways than one. “They were really straitlaced, they didn’t drink—you’d give them a dri..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/276/hali-felt-83889_friday-afternoon_we-called-them-theochemists-marie-said-t_1995692.jpg" --- # We called them theochemists,” Marie said. They stuck out… ![“We called them theochemists,” Marie said. They stuck out in more ways than one. “They were really straitlaced, they didn’t drink—you’d give them a drink and they’d throw it in a potted plant.” In contrast, other Lamonters, by the close of the rowdy Friday afternoon parties, were much more likely…” quote by Hali Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/276/hali-felt-83889_friday-afternoon_we-called-them-theochemists-marie-said-t_1995692.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/276/hali-felt-83889_friday-afternoon_we-called-them-theochemists-marie-said-t_1995692.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/276/hali-felt-83889_friday-afternoon_we-called-them-theochemists-marie-said-t_1995692.jpg) > ““We called them theochemists,” Marie said. They stuck out in more ways than one. “They were really straitlaced, they didn’t drink—you’d give them a drink and they’d throw it in a potted plant.” In contrast, other Lamonters, by the close of the rowdy Friday afternoon parties, were much more likely to be found facedown in the potted plants. Kulp”” Hali Felt ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote humorously contrasts two groups: one disciplined, the other reckless, using potted plants as a metaphor for their behavior. **In simple terms:** It jokes about strict people versus wild partygoers. Key Takeaway Recognize and balance discipline with fun. Themes discipline recklessness humor social dynamics Mood playful ironic Type anecdotal observational. When to use this quote - office culture - team building - party planning - personal boundaries Key Concepts behavioral contrast social conformity metaphor Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain professionalism while having fun? - When does discipline become stifling? A Different Perspective The humor may downplay serious consequences of reckless behavior. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [Theta crashed next to them on the thick zebra-skin rug. “I’m embalmed.” “Potted and splificated?” “Ossified to the gills. Time for night-night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/theta-crashed-next-to-them-on-the-thick-zebra-skin-rug-i-m-embalmed/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [“and go looking for a potted plant that appears hardy enough to survive being irrigated with the stuff.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/and-go-looking-for-a-potted-plant-that-appears-hardy-enough-to/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [I have no intention of being a potted plant, and just getting watered every so often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-have-no-intention-of-being-a-potted-plant-and-just-getting-watered/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Proverbs are potted wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-buxton/proverbs-are-potted-wisdom/) [Charles Buxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-buxton/) > [Some say he isn’t machine washable, and all his potted plants are called ‘Steve’. All we know is he’s called the Stig.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hammond/some-say-he-isn-t-machine-washable-and-all-his-potted-plants-are/) [Richard Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hammond/) > [I didn't even drink in college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chandler/i-didn-t-even-drink-in-college/) [Michael Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chandler/) > [I didn't drink for two years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-mcafee/i-didn-t-drink-for-two-years/) [Pat McAfee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-mcafee/) > [“Jimmy liked to control his environment. He didn’t drink, so no one took a drink in his presence. He didn’t smoke, so nobody lit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/jimmy-liked-to-control-his-environment-he-didn-t-drink-so-no-one-took/) [Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/) > [I didn't drink at all in school, so when I went to college, I went nuts. I was trying to catch up on all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-huebel/i-didn-t-drink-at-all-in-school-so-when-i-went-to-college-i-went-nuts/) [Rob Huebel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-huebel/) > [Working behind the cocktail bar was a different kind of escapism, a creative outlet with a newfound respect for alcohol. I didn't drink as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-monroe/working-behind-the-cocktail-bar-was-a-different-kind-of-escapism-a/) [Jack Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-monroe/) > [“The fifty-three-year-old former Eagle Scout from South Carolina didn’t drink, smoke, or swear; the most colorful expletive in his vocabulary was “dad gum.”7 He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-bowden/the-fifty-three-year-old-former-eagle-scout-from-south-carolina-didn/) [Mark Bowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-bowden/) > [When I was a child, my parents didn't know anything about drugs. They didn't even drink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/when-i-was-a-child-my-parents-didn-t-know-anything-about-drugs-they/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [“But first, I needed to go to the liquor store and buy a bottle of Jack. I didn’t drink Jack but I thought now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/but-first-i-needed-to-go-to-the-liquor-store-and-buy-a-bottle-of-jack/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [Hell, if I didn't drink drink or smoke, I'd win twenty games every year. It's easy when you don't drink or smoke or horse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitey-ford/hell-if-i-didn-t-drink-drink-or-smoke-i-d-win-twenty-games-every-year/) [Whitey Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitey-ford/) > [My girlfriend said: 'If you loved me you wouldn't drink so much', I said: 'If I didn't drink so much I probably wouldn't love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-mule-deer/my-girlfriend-said-if-you-loved-me-you-wouldn-t-drink-so-much-i-said/) Gary Mule Deer ## More by Hali Felt > [“Marie eventually inherited this collection, just as she inherited her father’s acuity for what he called “reading nature.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hali-felt/marie-eventually-inherited-this-collection-just-as-she-inherited-her/) Hali Felt > [“Later, when she wakes up, the sun has set and the light in the car is violet and jade. Her mouth is dry as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hali-felt/later-when-she-wakes-up-the-sun-has-set-and-the-light-in-the-car-is/) Hali Felt Explore all 3 Hali Felt quotes ## More Friday afternoon quotes > [I believe that it doesn't matter where you work or what you have access to because anything can help. If you're working in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-roy/i-believe-that-it-doesn-t-matter-where-you-work-or-what-you-have/) [Rachel Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-roy/) > [“I used to keep a box of tissues in my office in case of tears. Then a person I worked with made a habit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-malone-scott/i-used-to-keep-a-box-of-tissues-in-my-office-in-case-of-tears-then-a/) [Kim Malone Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-malone-scott/) > [When I was young, I loved the feeling of escaping to the rocks on a Friday afternoon with my parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ondra/when-i-was-young-i-loved-the-feeling-of-escaping-to-the-rocks-on-a/) [Adam Ondra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ondra/) > [We may say that on the first Good Friday afternoon was completed that great act by which light conquered darkness and goodness conquered sin.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/we-may-say-that-on-the-first-good-friday-afternoon-was-completed-that/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [Having been raised very disciplined, I had to iron for my mom every Friday afternoon after school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yolanda-hadid/having-been-raised-very-disciplined-i-had-to-iron-for-my-mom-every/) [Yolanda Hadid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yolanda-hadid/) > [Don't equate activity with efficiency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/don-t-equate-activity-with-efficiency/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [For most Americans, Friday afternoons are filled with positive anticipation of the weekend. In Washington, it's where government officials dump stories they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sununu/for-most-americans-friday-afternoons-are-filled-with-positive/) [John Sununu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sununu/) > [I've taught fifth-year Christmas leavers last thing on a Friday afternoon. Basically, if you can face that you can face anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-lamont/i-ve-taught-fifth-year-christmas-leavers-last-thing-on-a-friday/) [Johann Lamont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-lamont/) > [Don't equate activity with efficiency. You are paying your key people to see the big picture. Don't let them get bogged down in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/don-t-equate-activity-with-efficiency-you-are-paying-your-key-people/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [The Tories had the legal right to demand extra meetings of the council but I could decide when they would be held and always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-livingstone/the-tories-had-the-legal-right-to-demand-extra-meetings-of-the/) [Ken Livingstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-livingstone/) > [ Looking back on it now, I understand why that was not possible \[to express ourselves\], because the pottery employed a dozen people, not all… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-mackenzie/looking-back-on-it-now-i-understand-why-that-was-not-possible-to/) [Warren MacKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-mackenzie/) > [“What would I like to get away from? Complexity. Anxiety. A feeling I've had my whole life that at any given time there's something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/what-would-i-like-to-get-away-from-complexity-anxiety-a-feeling-i-ve/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“Reader's Digest (Reader's Digest USA) - Clip This Article on Location 56 \| Added on Friday, May 16, 2014 12:06:55 AM Words of Lasting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/reader-s-digest-reader-s-digest-usa-clip-this-article-on-location-56/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You know, I was a regular on the Friday afternoon drill squad. Um, which... The year after I left school, I went back and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newcombe/you-know-i-was-a-regular-on-the-friday-afternoon-drill-squad-um-which/) [John Newcombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newcombe/) > [It's 4:58 on Friday afternoon. Do you know where your margarita is?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-neftzger/it-s-4-58-on-friday-afternoon-do-you-know-where-your-margarita-is/) [Amy Neftzger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-neftzger/) Browse all 43 Friday afternoon quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We called them theochemists,” Marie said. They stuck out in more ways than one. “They were really straitlaced, they didn’t drink—you’d give them a drink and they’d throw it in a potted plant.” In contrast, other Lamonters, by the close of the rowdy Friday afternoon parties, were much more likely to be found facedown in the potted plants. Kulp”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hali Felt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hali-felt/we-called-them-theochemists-marie-said-they-stuck-out-in-more-ways/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Friday afternoon" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hali-felt/we-called-them-theochemists-marie-said-they-stuck-out-in-more-ways/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/276/hali-felt-83889_friday-afternoon_we-called-them-theochemists-marie-said-t_1995692.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/276/hali-felt-83889_friday-afternoon_we-called-them-theochemists-marie-said-t_1995692.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/276/hali-felt-83889_friday-afternoon_we-called-them-theochemists-marie-said-t_1995692.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We called them theochemists,” Marie said. They stuck out in more ways than one. “They were really…” — Hali Felt", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Hali Felt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hali-felt/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We called them theochemists,” Marie said....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hali-felt/we-called-them-theochemists-marie-said-they-stuck-out-in-more-ways/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hali-felt/we-called-them-theochemists-marie-said-they-stuck-out-in-more-ways/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```