Brand names, children’s games, and the etiquette of phone conversations. Those clever plastic PEZ dispensers come in all shapes and sizes—but where did the word PEZ come from? The popular candy’s name is the product of wordplay involving...
A Georgia caller says when her grandfather had to make a sudden stop while driving, he’d yell “hold ‘er Newt, she smells alfalfa!” This phrase and variations like “hold ‘er Newt, she’s a-headin’ for...
Quiz Guy John Chaneski puzzle this week is called “Three and a Match.” The challenge is to figure out three words from a common category—say, nationalities—that go with each of the three clues he mentions. If, for example, three clues...
pea-shake house n.— «There were many times that his father went to the local pea shake house and turned 25 cents into 25 dollars to support a family of nine. This is how he grew up and still today people are using ticket houses to make...
peashake house n.— «President of the Indianapolis City-county Council, Monroe Gray. He likes to hangout in illegal gambling joints—such as the peashake house on the corner of 38th Capitol (disguised as a car wash)—while on duty as an...
pea shake n.— «Sweet pea and vermouth don’t report to anyone at IFD and they have absolutly no responsibilities what so ever other than to mingle and rub elbows anlong with some pea shake activities. Oh don’t gorget the 300 east...