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Re: Rubbers (was: Spanish education)

From:Stephen Mulraney <ataltanie@...>
Date:Sunday, March 17, 2002, 13:38
On Thu, 14 Mar 2002 18:42:11 -0000
Jonathan Knibb <jonathan_knibb@...> wrote:


> You may also find it amusing to note that it used to be a popular pastime > among my classmates, at the age of ten or so, to ask me 'Have you got a > rubber, Johnny?' - 'Johnny' being another euphemism for the same object.
And "Rubber Johnny" being a third phrase for the same ;) Allegedly, true or false I wist not, the American restaurant chain which (here, in Ireland & UK) is called "Eddie Rocket's" is "Johnny Rocket's" in America, or so I'm told - the reason for the name change of the European branches being the popularity of this piece of slang at the time they were opened... ;) s.
> If you do find it amusing, though, I'm afraid I shall have to kill you. :)
I never got the joke when I was a kid, not because I was unfamiliar with "rubber johnny"="condom" or with "rubber"="eraser", but because I didn't know that "rubber"="condom" (still would have trouble recognising it). Also, noone in that class was called Johnny (John maybe) so the joke was just a 'rude word', not a double entendre, thus more of less failing completely ;) Didn't stop little boys saying it at any possible opportunity, though... Does that count? ;) [towards you prize of summary execution?] stephen
> > Jonathan. > > 'O dear white children casual as birds, > Playing among the ruined languages...' > W. H. Auden, 'Hymn to St. Cecilia' >