white horse
n.— «I was enlisted for NS in 1994. My platoon mates and I were at first unaware that there was a “white horse” among us. Therefore, we were generally surprised with the “special privileges” accorded to us that ranged from more frequent canteen breaks, later wake-up hours and sometimes better food servings. It was only till the passing-out parade (for recruits) that the truth dawned on us. One of our platoon mate, who did not stand out in any way, be it in physical tests, shooting skills or leadership qualities, was named the company’s best recruit instead of other more worthy ones. The puzzle was quickly solved when it was known that the “white horse’s” influential father is the guest-of-honour for our batch’s passing-out-parade.» —“White Horse Issue” by Dawei Yan Workers’ Party of Singapore Nov. 17, 2003. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Nancy Gabriel from Ithaca, New York, recalls her father’s no-nonsense responses to minor injuries when she was a child: After making sure she was really all right, he’d say, It’s far enough from your heart; it won’t kill you. Other times he might...
A caller wonders if she’s being hypersensitive about the way her boss addresses her in emails. Can the use of an employee’s first name ever reflect a power differential? And: a community choir director wants a term for “the act of gathering to sing...