hand job 'deception'

[Joyce, Thomas F.]

I think Frank's is the correct interpretation.

-----Original Message-----
From: Frank Abate [mailto:abatefr at EARTHLINK.NET]
Sent: Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:10 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: FW: hand job 'deception'


Ron B commented (below) on what Larry H noted:

>>
In a message dated 1/7/03 8:09:03 PM, laurence.horn at YALE.EDU writes:

> (as opposed to taboo avoidance)
>
> On a recent NYPD blue, the head of the squad, Lt. Tony Rodriguez,
> uses "hand job" in the sense of 'con job'.  He's talking to his
> ex-wife, who is trying to get off drugs, explaining how he had to
> call in a lot of favors to get her into a detox center in Brooklyn.
> "So if this is another hand job...", he says.  To which she assures
> him that no, she's really serious about quitting this time.  Is this
> use of the compound otherwise attested?  Or were they just trying to
> see if we were paying attention and/or trying to earn their "viewer
> discretion" label?
>
> larry
>

Or maybe we are just supposed to think that Rodriguez is a bit of a poet,
given to speaking metaphorically with metaphors that he creates himself.

At any rate, I've never heard hand job 'deception' myself. Come to think
about it, it isn't a very good metaphor, is it? That is to say, a "hand job"
is not very likely to be a deception.

<<


One possibility is that the dialogue refers to a hand job as a poor
alternative to sexual intercourse.  Since the scene involves a husband and
wife, that might be the idea behind the use of "hand job" here.


Frank Abate


------------------------------------------
The information contained in this e-mail message may be privileged,
confidential, and protected from disclosure.  If you are not the
intended recipient, any further disclosure or use, dissemination,
distribution, or copying of this message or any attachment is strictly
prohibited.  If you think that you have received this e-mail message in
error, please delete it and notify the sender.