
What does that mean, "Bob’s your uncle?" I know the line from 101 Dalmatians, but I have no idea what it means, "quick as you can say Bob’s your uncle."
Another cryptic phrase I have long wondered about is,
"The woods are burning, boys, the woods are burning." That line, of course, is from Arthur Miller’s wonderful classic, Death Of A Salesman. Willy Loman says it to his sons, but I have no idea what it means. Nor did my literature professor. And what about this one, something Basil calls Polly in Fawlty Towers: "you cloth-eared beet!" It obviously is an insult, but what do the words mean? Who thought that one up?
I think I’ll make up my own, and see if it catches on. I think I’ll go with "unless your elves are missing." Make any statement, then lower your eyes, mysteriously glance around, slowly, raise one eyebrow, and say in a low voice, "unless your elves are missing." Remember, you heard it here first.





