work one’s ticket
v. phr.— «Very few people I knew wanted to be in prison. Many wanted to change, but often it was easier just to try and “work your ticket” to get parole.» —“Inside tracks” by Erwin James Comment is Free Apr. 24, 2006. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
What kind of book do people ask for most often in prison? Romance novels? No. The Bible? No. The most requested books by far are … dictionaries! A number of volunteer organizations gather and distribute used dictionaries to help inmates with...
Following our conversation about fossicking for gemstones, a listener in Melbourne, Australia, points out that where he’s from, emu is slang for a person who picks up discarded tickets at a racetrack, hoping to find an accidentally discarded...