Slang … Using one word or expression for another. Let me tell you a story … Many years ago, when I was a student in Toronto, my very best friend – and he still is – and I were working in the summer to earn our keep. We were both in our early twenties, long-haired and carefree. We cruised in Geoff’s old Pontiac convertible, top down through the hot summer streets.
One very sunny afternoon about half past 5, I believe we were up near Bayview and Mount Pleasant, we’d just passed the light when a cop pulled up to us and motioned us to pull over. He got out of his police car and looked us up and down: we were wearing shorts, old T-shirts and … maybe … sandals. We had to turn down the music. Whether it was Santana or Bob Dylan or Gordon Lightfoot I can’t remember.
The cop, a pretty big guy, took a minute looking at the car registration papers and Geoff’s driver’s licence. He handed them back and said: “You guys got any grass in this car?”
Geoff looked at him … paused, smiled … “Sure do, officer.” “Want some?”
“OK. Where is it, guys?” he asked us.
“In the trunk.”
“Get out and open that trunk.”
We did….
And there was grass in there all right … two 20 gallon bags full of it. Freshly cut grass, straight off the lawns … We’d just finished a day’s work gardening.
“Get outta here …” the cop muttered as he got back into his squad car. “You kids …” “Get outta here …”
Well, you see … grass … is slang … ( and cop, too!)
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