Heidi Hollister Esq.

My Mom was over for the Oscars, and the commercials where Walmart is styling "people behind the scenes" kept playing. I made snarky comments about PA's and coffee and gruntwork and blah blah blah. Red carpet. What are you wearing? Walfart. Then my Mom asks "What's a PA?"

I know in her head she was thinking Physician's Assistant, that would be her go to, so the confusion was natural. Also, she is so sweetly clueless sometimes and never afraid to ask. This fact fills me up with giddy joy. It makes for some great dinner conversations. So when she asked, I snorted a little, then tried to explain they are assistants to directors, actors, and so on. She nodded like she understood, so I left it there.

Last night I was rewatching "Game Of Thrones" before the last season is back in April. I am in season 4 where Pod and Brienne set off together. My parents and Todd are rewatching it too and we compare notes. Then, it hits me.

Today I gave my Mom HER difinitive defintion of a PA.

Me - Hey, remember when you didn't know what a PA was? Well, that's Podrick. A squire.
Mom - Oooooooooh. A squire.
Pause
Mom - I love Podrick. So that's a PA huh? Cool. Got it.

Then we spend the next 10 minutes talking about the origin of the word Esquire.

These are the blocks of memory that build my fortress of life.

Defined by Boutell (d.1877)[edit]

Charles Boutell (1812–1877)^[16] defined the term as

Esquire – A rank next below that of Knight. Besides those Esquires who are personal attendants of Knights of Orders of Knighthood, this title is held by all attendants on the person of the Sovereign, and all persons holding the Sovereign's commission being of military rank not below Captain; also, by general concession, by Barristers at Law, Masters of Arts and Bachelors of Law and Physic.