Happy As A Clam? Are They Really All That Cheerful?

I was chit-chatting with a co-worker today and I asked him, "How are you?" he replied, "Happy as a clam!" I looked at him and asked, "Are clams really happy? How would we know?" He looked at me, as a lot of people do when I ponder the questions that keep me up at night. I told him that I was going to do some research. He walked away rather quickly.

I have often thought that maybe it's because a clam looks like it is smiling. But, apparently, I was wrong. According to KnowYourPhrase.com, the term "happy as a clam" is only a partial saying. The full version is this:

Basically, clams are most vulnerable when the tides are low because that's the time when humans can easily dig them out of the ground. In higher waters, however, clams are far more difficult to find and dig up. Hence, a clam is happiest during a high tide because it means they are less likely to be caught and eaten!

There is so much more on this very phrase all over the internet. There are even sonnets to clams. I wish I could tell you that I was kidding. Anyway, once I found out where this all came from, I got bored so I moved on. Next up, what the heck is a tizzy and how do we get into and out of one?

Listen to Linda G. weekdays from 3:00pm to 7:00pm on 105.5 FM, online at kicks1055.com/listen-live/ or by downloading the super cool KICKS 105.5 app for your mobile device. You can find it in your App Store or Google Play.