See A Man About a Horse

Hello, you have A Way with Words.

Hi, this is Brian from Elizabeth City, North Carolina.

Hi, Brian. Welcome to the show.

Hi, Brian.

What’s up?

So I have a prazer saying, my grandfather used to say when I was a kid, and whenever he would be in conversation or have to just leave a room or something, he would say, well, I have to go see a man about a horse. And he would leave. But as a kid, I would notice he’d never go see a man about a horse. He would normally just make it to the restroom. And so I was just curious to know why that has always meant going to the restroom and not seeing a man about a horse.

Why do you not actually come back with a horse?

Yeah.

Yeah, it’s one of many euphemisms for doing that, for going off and doing your business. But I think the older version was see a man about a dog.

Yeah, as far back as the 1860s.

Yeah, yeah. And it applied not only to using the restroom, but it could apply to, especially during Prohibition, going off to have a little nip of something. Or to go meet your lady friend on the slide.

Go meet your lady friend or man friend, yes.

Yeah, it was mostly men saying it, though.

Right. As to why that particular animal, a dog or a horse, we don’t know. It’s just one of those euphemisms. I know that ladies of that era also said, I’m going to go pluck a rose for going to the restroom. Or you could go see Miss White. I remember that one.

There’s all things that you say in order to not have to say the real thing.

Yeah, I don’t hear it as often. Do you, Grant?

No, I don’t, but it’s familiar to me from my reading. It’s the kind of color that fiction writers like to throw in when they’ve got a folksy character.

Well, cool, Brian. Thank you for your call. Really appreciate it.

Thank you. It was very interesting.

Thank you. Take care now.

Thanks, Brian.

You too.

877-929-9673.

Thank you.