12-9
n.— «Based on the dozens of cases of people struck by subway trains each year—events known in transit parlance by the code 12-9—it is easy to speculate on what their last week must have been like.» —“What the Motorman Saw” by Jake Mooney New York Times Dec.4, 2005. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Carl in Sebastopol, California, was reminded of his childhood on New York’s Lower East Side while ready Harry Golden’s book For 2 Cents Plain (Amazon), the title referring to how customers ordered a plain glass of seltzer. For a little...
Book recommendations and the art of apology. Martha and Grant share some good reads, including an opinionated romp through English grammar, a Spanish-language adventure novel, an account of 19th-century dictionary wars, and a gorgeously illustrated...