radiant fracture

[You should imagine the teacup as having a friendly, informative, BBC-circa-1974-type voice: slightly stilted, but warm.]

Me [Looking for teacup]: A teacup says what?
Teacup [From the window ledge]: What?
Me [Picking up teacup]: Thank you.
Teacup: You're welcome!
Me [carrying teacup into kitchen]: How many words are in your vocabulary, anyway?
Teacup: I don't know the word 'vocabulary'.
Me: Ah.
Teacup: Can you teach it to me?
Me: [Setting down teacup] Yes.
Teacup: Is 'vocabulary'a noun?
Me: {getting teabag]: Yes.
Teacup: Can it contain things?
Me: Yes.
Teacup: Can it contain tea?
Me: [After some deliberation] Yes.
Teacup: Is a vocabulary a kind of teapot?
Me: It is a teapot for words.
Teacup: Thank you! Would you like to hear about other teapots my manufacturer has available?

{rf}