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Thanks Lewis

Posted by Lotg (OZ) on August 29, 2004

In Reply to: Case of the Screaming Ab Dabs posted by Lewis on August 27, 2004

: : This morning my step-daughter asked me how I slept last night. I said "OK, except I had a case of the screaming ab dabs". She looked at me in bewilderment, so I explained that I meant I had a tummy upset.

: : This was a term I grew up with and use without thinking. Another one my dad often used when referring to someone chucking a wobbly or a temper tantrum was "he's having a spajilic mandragara". I use that one quite often too, again to most people's bewilderment.

: : Now I have absolutely no idea how to spell either of those terms or even whether there's a right or wrong way, as my father always said them, never wrote them.

: : What I'd like to know is whether anyone else has ever heard these terms or whether they're just a special foible of my dad's?

: "the screaming ab dabs" is an expression beloved of my mother - meaning a fit or tantrum.

: as to the others, I have not heard them BUT I am pretty certain that the reference is to the effects of Mandragora which is another name for Mandrake. The name seems to relate to man-dragon and 'mandrake root' was a traditional herbal/magic ingredient.

: I found the following:

: Mandragora

: Scientific Name: European Mandrake
: Other Names: Atropa mandragora, Crazy Apple, Dudaim, Herb of Circe, Majnoon, Mandragora officinalis, Mandragora vernalis, Mandrake, Pome Di Tchin, Satan's Apple, Sorcerer' Root, True Mandrake, Witch' Manikin

: It then went on to say about the alkaloids it contained, which are potent.

: Somebody said - don't take it for fun.

The lack of response to my query was starting to make me think that maybe my dad is strange. Although frankly, your kind response makes me no less suspicious.

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