Anonymous  +  668338 Mon, 09 Feb 09 08:13 PM Hi, Tina hoped that they could be friends again. Mary looked skeptical and told Tina that shoulders to cry on were in short supply. What does the expression in bold mean above? Thanks a lot. Anonymous Relationships, Friendships, Friends

	Avangi  +  668350 Mon, 09 Feb 09 08:31 PM Someone who has had a bad experience is looking for sympathy   -   "looking for a shoulder to cry on."  They want to tell you their sad story (cry on your shoulder) and have you comfort them and tell them they've done nothing wrong and everything will be alright. Except Mary ain't buyin' it.  "Don't come around here lookin' for sympathy.  Nobody's gonna give you any!" When something is in short supply, it's very scarce, or non-existant   -    very hard to find; very hard to come by. Avangi Joined on Mon, Nov 19 2007 Veteran Member 8,180 ". . . le plaisir delicieux et toujours nouveau d'une occupation inutile." - Henri de Regnier

	Avangi  +  668397 Mon, 09 Feb 09 09:40 PM I guess "around here" is a colloquialism   -   "around there."  "I haven't been around there for years!"  (in those parts; around those parts) "hanging around"  "coming around"  "Don't be coming around here bothering me."   "I was just looking around." The expression is quite different from "I think he's coming around,"  which can mean (1) he's regaining consciousness after having been knocked out; or (2) he's finally beginning to see things our way   -    coming around to our point of view. Avangi Colloquialisms

	Avangi  +  668518 Tue, 10 Feb 09 01:02 AM I think "coming around here" implies a certain attitude   -   a familiarity   -   a presumption   -   an audacity   -   some kind of intention. It need not be something bad.  "Why don't you come around any more?"  (You used to be a familiar sight here.) It's like the difference between "coming here" and "coming here like this." Absent special context, "to come here" would not carry any of this implication. Avangi Difference Between, Context