MSGID: 1:153/716.0 febb22f1   
   REPLY: 2:221/6.0 5fe9886a   
   CHRS: IBMPC 2   
   Hi, Alexander!  Recently you wrote in a message to All:   
      
   AK>  -----Beginning of the citation-----   
   AK>  Barnes arrived just after midnight, and he was a very   
   AK>  different sight from our first meeting. The Brooks   
   AK>  Brothers stuff had gone, and he now looked like he was   
   AK>  ready to head into the Nicaraguan jungle at the drop   
   AK>  of a bomb. Khaki trousers, dark-green twill shirt, Red   
   AK>  Wing boots. A military-looking watch with canvas strap   
   AK>  had taken the place of the dress Rolex. I had the   
   AK>  feeling that for two pins he'd have been in front of a   
   AK>  mirror, slapping camouflage paint on to his face. The   
   AK>  lines were deeper than ever.   
   AK>  ----- The end of the citation -----   
      
   AK>  What did the author mean in "I had the feeling that for   
   AK>  two pins he'd have been in front of a mirror, slapping   
   AK>  camouflage paint on to his face."?   
      
      
    Language:   
      
              When native speakers in this part of the world say "for two pins   
   I'd do xxx", it's an ironic/figurative expression meaning "It wouldn't take   
   much to make me do xxx".  Often the idea... although tempting... is rather   
   impractical. I wouldn't seriously expect anybody to carry it out just because   
   I offered them a couple of dressmaker's pins or safety pins I bought at the   
   dollar store.  :-Q   
      
      
      
    Literature:   
      
              This man appears to be meticulous about his personal appearance &   
   to be in a socioeconomic category where it's routine to pay more for an oufit   
   than a lot of other people earn in a year.  At the office he dresses the part   
   of the executive... when he's off duty he prefers a more sporty look, but it's   
   just as well put together & almost as far beyond the average person's budget   
   as what he wears in formal situations.  If the writer associates this man's   
   costume change with what actors do when they're playing a role it makes sense   
   to me... [grin].   
      
      
      
      
   --- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+   
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