Suzanne in Tucson, Arizona, says her mother used to say the following to her quickly: Will you? Won’t you? Can’t I coax you? Aw, c’mon! You said you would! You think you might? You promised me! Won’t your mama let ya, huh...
When you had sleepovers as a child, what did you call the makeshift beds you made on the floor? In some places, you call those bedclothes and blankets a pallet. This word comes from an old term for “straw.” And: What’s the story...
A slice of pie topped with ice cream is said to be served à la mode, a French phrase that means “in the fashion of.” A listener in Greenfield, Massachusetts, wants to know why. This is part of a complete episode.
fake-a-bake n.— «Myth: Sunless tanning, also known as fake-a-bake, is risk-free. Reality: It is true that using any of a variety of lotions, sprays, gels, creams and powders from the multi-million-dollar sunless-tanning industry can...
ice cream plant n.— «There are certain ice cream plants, as we like to call them, that camels focus on and they probably have the ability to possibly eliminate some of the species from particular areas.» —“The World Today; Amorous...