Keeping Afloat

I'm in an emergency "crisis aversion" meeting with L., the lovely project manager I'm working with in one of the many twisted storylines on Brand This!

"We need to get a decision made on this," she tells me, "or we're scuppered."

I immediately turn to a blank page in my Black n' Red and scribble down my new vocab word. (She is the one who also taught me "in a pig's muddle.")

"We're what??"

"Well, it's another way of saying we're fucked."

I had a feeling.

After being sidetracked a little by etymology (she had an inkling is was nautical , and we actioned that she would find out), we dealt with the crisis at bay and headed back to our respective desks.

After a bit, she sails over to my desk, looking as if she's parried all our project's predicaments. Even better ... she'd found that scuppered is indeed nautical. I'd tell you what it meant, but you'll remember better if you do the work yourself.

But wait, there's more ...

She also ran across the origin of "son of a gun" in her sleuthing. Seems that back in the 1800s, women of certain friendly nature would find themselves on naval vessels, and often would spend time with the sailors, seeking quiet respite on deck between the guns. As contraception was not as easy as grabbing a handful of Trojans from the jar at the local tavern, and these ladies didn't always practice monogamy ... sometimes little tykes came into the nautical world without an identifiable sire. The little bastards sons of guns.

So ends a very special episode of Brand This!, where we not only got some work accomplished, but unexpectedly learned something.

And since Le Boss kept me here late, my gym plans are scuppered ... time for a pint.

Wonder if there are any sailors out there with big guns to seek respite under?