Mardy Bum -

“Don’t call me that.”

It was Tuesday, which Leo already considered “the Monday of the rest of the week.” His toast was too crispy. His shoelace snapped. And his little sister, Maya, had the audacity to hum the theme tune from that cartoon she knew he secretly liked. mardy bum

Their mum, folding laundry in the hallway, didn’t look up. “Oh, here we go. Mardy bum alert. Code red.” “Don’t call me that

Leo was a mardy bum. Not always, but when the mood took him, he could sour milk at twenty paces. Their mum, folding laundry in the hallway, didn’t look up

Here’s a short story inspired by the phrase — a wonderful bit of Northern English slang for someone who’s sulking, grumpy, or in a foul mood for no good reason. The Day the Sun Forgot to Shine (According to Leo)