An old friend recently told me it was time for in-depth political intercourse.If I weren’t in love with the printed word and generally a “grammar Nazi,” I would have slapped him.

I really think he meant discourse, or did he?

According to Merriam Webster online, intercourse can be intimacy, copulation, give-and-take, fornication, sex, coitus, coition, relations, correspondence, commerce, converse, mesh, trade, dealings, connection, contact, traffic, association, communion and teamwork.

Discourse includes essay, rhetoric, treatise, communication, discussion, conversation, speech, lecture, monologue, huddle, thesis, descant, converse, homily, verbalization, monograph, sermon, paper, speaking and a chat.

That’s how the online dictionary sees the words.

He could have meant a combination of the two.

I asked him. He said one is more intimate than the other and in-depth discussion is needed before someone “pushes the button.”

The button, it seems, is the fate of our world.

I told him we were already in the midst of political intercourse and he can see it however he wants.

Discourse seems to border on religion, while intercourse is more personal.

Watching political televised newscasts, one can see it.

Politics is defined by the same dictionary as government, campaigning, legislature, electioneering, zoo, polity, jungle, statecraft, civics, backroom.

Zoo and jungle are included in intercourse and discourse, but they aren’t verbalized.

Now, let’s make some linguistic sense.

I was sitting at a light in the midst of intercourse about the zoo when my passenger wanted to huddle about statecraft in the backroom.

Running for office is complicated, that’s why I have eschewed it.

We usually avoided discussion of religion and politics. His politics are his own affair.

Affairs of politics are generally matters with which the government of a country deals.

Each of us has his or her issues.

Affairs in general are: Well, you know. No matter what, they relate to infidelity.

OK. Political intercourse?

It’s expensive.

One way or another, someone gets it in the rear.