The Long and the Short 

A phrase used at the end of an unbelievably long and boring story to summarize what you have just heard, thereby giving you both the long version and the short version of the story. It is often confused with the phrase to make a long story short, however, the speaker using this phrase has no intention of making the story short.

I want to tell you all about my amazing day, after borrowing your car this morning I went to the supermarket. At the supermarket I bought organic vegetables, but was not able to buy organic tomatoes. After the supermarket, I went to the hardware store ... When I was leaving the football stadium, this black sports car came racing towards me and collided into me head-on. The police were called, but no one was injured. I estimate the damage to your car will cost at least $20,000 to repair. The long and the short, I totaled your car!!

The Long and the Short by Superdragout January 19, 2010

The Long and the Short 

A phrase used at the end of an unbelievably long and boring story to summarize what you have just heard, thereby giving you both the long version and the short version of the story. It is often confused with the phrase to make a long story short, however, the speaker using this phrase has no intention of making the story short.

I want to tell you all about my amazing day, after borrowing your car this morning I went to the supermarket. At the supermarket I bought organic vegetables, but was not able to buy organic tomatoes. After the supermarket, I went to the hardware store ... When I was leaving the football stadium, this black sports car came racing towards me and collided into me head-on. The police were called, but no one was injured. I estimate the damage to your car will cost at least $20,000 to repair. The long and the short, I totaled your car!!

The Long and the Short by Superdragout January 19, 2010