'Dead men walking'. What?

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Today I went with a friend and her parents to Wales to take her to university and when we were saying our goodbyes I asked her parents if they wanted me to leave them alone together. Her dad said 'no, dead men walking'. Assuming I didn't completely mishear, what do you think he meant?

hmm it's a bit obscure. maybe he meant it's inevitable, (the goodbye thing) so no point in trying to make it nicer.

I've heard the saying "dead man walking" but I don't know what it means either. People use very odd sayings.

"Dead Man Walking" refers to a condemned convict making his final steps towards his appointed execution.

More loosely, it refers to any man on his way past the 'point of no return' - such as a groom on his wedding day or a soldier on a suicide mission.

As for how this saying referred to your situation, it may be that a "Dead Man Walking" is allowed to have one person accompany him to his destination for comfort. This may have been what the father meant; you were there to provide comfort for your friend as she went off to meet her committment.

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Last edited by Fnord on 21 Sep 2008, 6:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.

"Dead Man Walking," is exactly as Fnord stated, meaning a condemned prisoner walking to his execution.

After a popular film with the same title, that graphically illustrated the situation, it got into the common venacular and slang of something already done, i.e. their good byes had been said, their last moments done they were only there because they hadn't left yet.

at least that is how I would have taken it.

Merle

I sort of just about get it, thanks.

Did he mean it in a bad way, as in I should have left them alone together earlier, or that he just didn't mind if I was in the room?

hmm dead man walking means that person is about to be in loads of trouble and a can't escape or doesn't know it.

The latter, I think, since the general meaning is 'inevitability'. I hate it when people use obscure metaphors, my parents used to do that when I was a kid, I never knew what they meant and when I'd ask they wouldn't explain.

Why should you leave the room?--- Because this was not her final good-by. It was your basic conversation to your child leaving for college -- Take care of yourself, call if you need anything, don't hang out with the wrong people, study hard, we'll see you soon.

it means your fate is sealed, you just havnt arrived to it yet,

Well...Here are a list of possibilities...additionally I need extra clarification. Did he say "dead mAn, or dead mEn?" If he was specific in his use, it could refer to an individual or the group.

Anyways, onward to possibility:

1. You were the "dead man walking" asking that, and than trying to leave. In other words, stating that was already a mistake. Leaving would've been continuing with something that was already a mistake. If your friend did not want you there, it is unlikely you would be there.

2. You will be driving home soon enough. What purpose does it serve to leave the room and prepare to head home already. In other words he was saying "stay and enjoy the time."

3. It is known that friends often lose touch after what some consider big leaps in life. High school to college...college to the working world. These transitions often result in large changes and friends lose touch. Why bother making things happen more quickly? Some friends remain that way for life however, so don't make this seem like a doom and gloom passage.

4. Something more specific than with the knowledge you have provided us. Perhaps, something in the conversation or otherwise, and he was refering to that. It might be unrelated specifically to the words you gave, but something else.

There are other possibilities...but these would be the most relevant from what I can see.

Anyways, on another note...WHats with all the doom and gloom passages?

You all make it seem like some big scary quote that only means bad bad bad....

Enough doom and gloom.

I'm using another post specifically to classify this in a different realm and ensure its emphasis.

The phrase comes from the traditional call in the United States of "Dead man walking, dead man walking here" from a prison guard as a condemned prisoner is led onto Death Row.

if that isn't gloom and doom, I don't know what is.

Merle

It means he's going to die soon, or he's going to be loaded with stress/work/etc. .