"Nickel gets you on subway, but garlic gets a seat"

[Alice Faber]

Laurence Horn said:
>At 10:22 AM -0700 8/25/04, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>>"That and a nickel (dime, quarter, fifty cents, dollar and a
>>quarter, two-fifty, you name it) will get you a cup of coffee."
>>Apodictic NYC wisdom from before 1950.
>>
>>JL
>
>I've heard that too as an alternate expression of cynicism, but I
>always preferred the subway version, since you always knew exactly
>how much the latter would cost you, while cups of coffee could vary
>in price.  Also it seemed more specific to New York.

The version I recall involved the Staten Island Ferry; "that and a
nickel will get you a ride on the Staten Island Ferry". And, yes, it
*did* used to cost a nickel for the ferry, thought it's now "free".

--
 =============================================================================
Alice Faber                                             faber at haskins.yale.edu
Haskins Laboratories                                  tel: (203) 865-6163 x258
New Haven, CT 06511 USA                                     fax (203) 865-8963