CP Time

[James A. Landau]

In a message dated  Thu, 4 Nov 2004 16:05:49 -0500,  Wilson Gray
<wilson.gray at RCN.COM> writes:

>  > Boojies?  (Sorry, Wilson!)
>
>  A nickname/slang term for "members of the black bourgeoisie," <snip>

I don't recall having heard "boojies" (or if I did, I probably misheard it as
"boogie").  I do have a vague recollection of having run across "MCN"
("Middle Class Negro"---this was a print reference and the word "Negro" was used, it
is possible that a different term was bowdlerized) as a pejorative, meaning
something like "Oreo cookie".

Nor do I recall ever having heard "CP time".  I do know "Jewish Standard
Time".

The idea of an in-group categorizing itself as perpetually late goes way
back, to at least Aristophanes.  In _Lysistrata_, if memory serves, there is a
place where Lysistrata says something to the effect of "You are proper Athenians.
 Always late."

          - James A. Landau

PS to Dennis Preston, about guarding the Big O:  Back when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
was in high school (and known as "Lew Alcindor"), an opposing coach said
"there's no such thing as a one-man basketball team" and ordered his team to let
Alcindor do whatever he pleased, just guard the other four players.  Alcindor's
team lost 63-60, with Alcindor scoring 57 of the 60.