It’s a Christmas Miracle! Pearl Bailey has remained pearly white without a spec of dirt to be found! She even accomplished this despite the rains that fell over the past two days! Yes indeed, folks, as my grandma would say, ‘she’s clean as a whistle’.
Now mind you, my grandma had some crazy euphemisms but ‘clean as a whistle’, what the hell does that mean anyway?? I decided to take it to Google to see if they could shed some light on it. I found one plausible explanation relating it to a steam whistle – whereas the steam used to provoke the whistle sound would also be a component to keeping the exterior of the whistle clean. Dull definition! I searched a little more and I think I found it. Apparently, back in the swashbuckling early 1700’s , the word whistle was assigned to the sound of a sword swishing through the air. Those primitive days must have seen a lot of duels where the ultimate punishment resulted in decapitation! It was then that the phrase was applied to mean the head came off “completely, absolutely, leaving no trace” – or clean as whistle! Good Lord!
Antique morbidity aside, let’s get back to the glory of Pearl Bailey and her best Christmas Eve gift to me – a clean pelt. Miss Bailey, the Professor and I send you all our wish for a very Merry Christmas, the Happiest Nights of Chanukah, and a Happy New Year to come.
May the lights that shine bright from your Christmas Tree and Menorah tonight be the reminder that we all light the world in our own way. And a glorious illumination it is!
From me to you – I send you all a multitude of Love!