Wayne from Wayland, Massachusetts, says a co-worker was fond of the saying One hand washes the other and both hands wash the face. The saying suggests that working together, two can accomplish what one can’t. It can also connote the idea of One good turn deserves another or I’ll scratch your back and you scratch mine, which can also imply the idea of graft and corruption. The saying goes back to ancient Rome, where Manus manum lavat literally meant “one hand washes the other,” and appears in The Satyricon by Petronius. (Bookshop|Amazon) This is part of a complete episode.
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