There are probably many "regionalisms" - words that are generally associated with a particular region of the country. Philadelphia has several that come to mind, such as hoagies and jimmies ("sprinkles" on ice cream). But are there words that are either unique or have a unique meaning in Oxford Circle? After discussing this with a childhood friend the other day, we've come up with two possibilities:Breezeway - the space between two groups of rowhouses in the middle of a city block. (I placed this entry on Wikipedia). Breezeway has different meanings depending on what part of the country you live.
Texas Tommy - a hot dog with cheese and a bacon strip wrapped around it. Texas Tommies were available at the neighborhood luncheonettes. I've never heard of this food item outside of Oxford Circle.Can you think of other words, phrases, or terms that could possibly be unique to Oxford Circle? If so, I'd love to hear from you.
Update: Punks could very well be another "Oxford Circle-ism": is that a term unique to the neighborhood? What do you think?
13 comments:
Hi Guy:
I enjoyed your site. The breezeways are still here, so are the wires for wireball games. You should organize a nostalgia trip to the old neighborhood, with stops at telephone poles that were the "base" for free-all games, etc. I'm on facebook if you need me. Hope to see you for more happy get-togethers. Go Birds!
All Best,
Don R
How about "punks"? These were small sticks that looked like miniature cat-tail reeds which we would buy at corner stores, and set on fire during the summer. I think the smoke was meant to keep bugs away, but we pretended to smoke them as if they were cigarettes. I don't know what they were really called, but can't imagine they were called punks anywhere else but in Oxford Circle.
@Mark: I agree... "Punks" might very well be an Oxford Circleism - I haven't heard (or used that word) for about 35+ years. I haven't heard of them outside of the neighborhood. Are they still being used there?
The night before mischeif night was always "Soap night", but I don't think it was citywide, just Oxford Circle area.
I loved punks, loved the smell of them! (I bought them at Frank's - the store at Benner and Castor that sold magazines, water ice, models, candy, etc) I never understood why the guy who owned it chose that business. He HATED kids lol, we'd all press our dirty hands and noses up against his beautiful wood and glass display case! (and his name was Ed - I think Frank was his dad?)
My mom worked at a diner and I'd get Texas Tommies when I went there, and we played halfball, I ate hoagies and STILL use jimmies on ice cream :)
Yeah, I used to annoy the heck out of Ed by asking every day if a new 'Mad' comic had come in yet. Bought a lot of Revell kits there.
This was in the 1950's, but I remember returning there around 1971 from my home in Baltimore to attend a funeral and stopping in the same store as the father of a 5-year-old boy and buying my son the same cap rocket toy I played with as a kid.
Ah, punks! We pretended we were adults and 'smoked' them. They were also good for burning holes in leaves.
Some of the things we did weren't so nice, like keeping lightning bugs (fireflies to outsiders) in jars and then cutting off their lit tails and placing them, still glowing, on our fingers. Oh, well.
I remember Mischief Night as being the night before Halloween. Am I wrong? It was the night we soaped cars.
I also remember when it was banned and even the nightly curfews that were imposed on kids in the late '50's.
I grew up @ Benner and Castor. I always remember Ed being nice and Frank was a jerk. I think they were brothers. Any time I would ask for "now & later" candy (did I just show my age) Ed would say "Do you want them now, or later?"
Good guy.
Also, punks can only be an Oxford Cir. thing!
I just discovered these "Oxford Circle Memories" now in December, 2013. They are great! I hope someone is out there who will read this! I will have much more to say if anyone responds.
I was born in South Philly and lived on Snyder Ave.
Moved to Holme Circle when a small boy. Raised and educated in Philly, got an undergraduate degree, then moved to Washington, D.C. suburbs for a federal job. Retired from Fed. Govt. and now I'm back! (Hard to believe I love Philly so much, huh?). Two small observations to "start the ball rolling": 1. All the kids in my Holme Circle neighborhood called the burning slim sticks described above "punks" as well. So sorry, the term made it beyond Oxford Circle. 2. I've eaten Texas Tommys (or Tommies?) in lunchonettes in South Philly. I guess that means the term is, at the very least, a term indigenous to Philly. I'm gonna Google it. Bye for now... "The Holme Circle Guy"
One of my personal favorites, which admittedly still slips out of my mouth from time to time, "You strap!"
We used to a hang bag or a purse= pocketbook.
We used to a hang bag or a purse= pocketbook.
How about "hunks?" If said before the owner of a candy bar could say "Ven Hunks," said owner was required to share.
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