BearK wrote:
Midwesterners are often accused, in their speech, of leaving dangling participles. This joke, which is an oldie, reminded me of that accusation.
On his 75th birthday, a man got a gift certificate from his wife.
The certificate paid for a visit to a medicine man living on a nearby reservation
who was rumored to have a wonderful cure for erectile dysfunction
After being persuaded, he drove to the reservation, handed his ticket
to the medicine man, and wondered what he was in for.
The old man handed a potion to him, and with a grip on his shoulder, warned,
'This is a powerful medicine. You take only a teaspoonful, then say '1-2-3.'
When you do, you will become more manly than you have ever been
and you can perform as long as you want."
The old man was encouraged. As he walked away, he turned and asked,
"How do I stop the medicine from working?"
"Your partner must say '1-2-3-4,'" he responded, "but when she does,
the medicine will not work again till the next full moon."
He was eager to see if it worked. He went home, showered, shaved,
took a spoonful of the potion, then invited his wife
to join him in the bedroom.
When she came in, he took off his clothes and said, "1-2-3!"
Immediately, he was the manliest of men.
His wife was excited and began throwing off her clothes,
and then she asked, "What was the 1-2-3 for?"
And that, boys and girls, is why we never end our sentences
with a preposition, because we end up
with a dangling participle.
Midwesterners are often accused, in their speech, ... (
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