Hot Dog!
I love this. Genuine ephemera. The lady looked puzzled when I asked for just the bag, thanks.
So what's going on here? I think our sausage is looking happy about something, possibly 'excited expectation'. My daughter thinks he looks frightened or apprehensive. I can't see it myself.
But what, in god's name, is he doing wearing skis? Is there some obscure refernce to 'hotdogging' I don't quite get?
The irony is that I was looking a bit sunburned at the time and was wearing shades and a fetching panama hat. It was not winter. In fact, I don't think Port Fairy has seen snow since the last Ice Age. He's definitely not from these parts.
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4 comments:
That's a nice find, Sean. "Hot dog" is slang. From the OED: "1. a. N. Amer. slang. One who is skilled or proficient in some pursuit . . . . Also attrib. or as adj. phr., good, superior. Freq. with connotations of 'showing off'. In some sports, e.g. Skiing, applied to 'trick' or 'stunt' or spectacular variations of normal movements." I love the OED's dowdy phrasing: "spectacular variations of normal movements"!
The first quotation for the word is from 1896. The first reference to the hot dog as food is from 1900 (that surprised me -- the "skilled or proficient" meaning was first). The first skiing quotation is from 1973.
What do you think that bag was meant to hold?
Judging by the size and proportion, I assume it held... a hotdog!
Interesting that the colloquial meaning predates the definition as food.
By the way, I love your word "dowdy" and have attempted to insert it into conversation whenever possible in tribute.
I agree he looks scared and who would'nt be ...he's about to be smothered in suace, onions, and whatever else and eaten:(
I agree with your daughter. And this would make a great t-shirt.
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