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"finger-in-the-water test"

Posted by Barney on July 27, 2003

In Reply to: "Finger-in-the-water test" posted by Shae on July 27, 2003

: : A contemporary quotation from Northwestern US: "who often gave the finger in the water test for the indispensable man"--any idea what this signifies? (It's definitely meant to be complimentary, nothing like a finger in the air to see which way the wind is blowing.)

: I'm guessing that it refers to the practice of testing the temperature of the water in a baby's bath using the finger. The temperature is ok if it feels just right. But what would this mere man know of such things?

It has been said that to establish just how indispensable you are you should measure the size of the hole left in the water when you remove your finger - the larger the hole the more indispensable you are.

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