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Taken/Caught Short

Posted by ESC on February 07, 2003

In Reply to: Taken/Caught Short posted by TheFallen on February 07, 2003

: : Hi!

: : I am doing dramaturgy work on an Edward Bond play entitled "A-A-America". One of the lines in the play reads as follows:

: : ***

: : STAGEHAND 1: My kids told the wife she took t' goin down the river. Make out she's took short. Hitch up her skirt an squat. The long yeller grass tickle her tail. Regular habit.

: : ***

: : We are musing over that "took short" might mean in this context: any insight you can provide would be most appreciated!

: : ~Mollena

:
: This phrase is also understood in the UK, though over here it'd be more normally "caught short". It means finding oneself absolutely having to urinate (or defecate) without there being a restroom within attainable distance.

It means the same in the U.S. I had a coal miner acquaintance who used the expression "caught short." He explained that it isn't good to be deep in the mines and have a sudden need to powder one's nose. I'm not sure what facilities a mine has, but they couldn't be very comfy.

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