Walk-Socks, Pox and Jocks.

We were talking about Walk-sox, for no apparent reason.

In our house, we talk about all kinds of things including all kinds of people. However, walk-sox has never been a part of the banter, and to be honest, I don't remember how or why we got onto the subject.

My first immediate vision was of a skinny legged older man, standing with his long sox held up by a 'garter', all nobbly kneed and purple veins looking like old road maps,  sploshy and purple and veiny, poking out the top of the said 'Walk-sox'. Until, I very quickly remembered a skinny legged young boy, also wearing them. That skinny legged boy was me, and in fact I will place a photograph in here to prove it.
OK, so the photograph proves nothing other than skinny legs and shorts, in the format of a suit. I cant find the walk-sox photos yet, but I will.
Being of the baby-boomer period myself, I was one of those kids who wasnt allowed to wear long pants until going to High School! Even our little grey Sunday Best suit was a short legged pair of shorts. No wonder someone invented 'Walk-sox', in a vain attempt to keep those little leggies warm, whilst still allowing natures cool breezes to blow up  our shorts to blow away all those nasty little smells that little boys used to create, and I suppose still do.

Pondering the reason for the terminology of Walk-sox" I mused to my Lovely Ms. SaidbyNed that perhaps one is not allowed to just stand there...otherwise they would be called "Standing Sox' or 'Queueing sox' for the day you go to collect your dole cheque ( if thats what one does) .

Of course footy players wear 'Footy-sox' but the crowd of supporters sox can't be called 'Footy sox because that would confuse everyone, so perhaps they could be called 'Supporter sox' although that might tend to infer that the wearer has a bladder control issue or worse still, some kind of renal condition which may require support too.  Maybe 'Crowd sox" or 'Watcher sox' would do, athough then you wouldnt be allowed to walk to the game, otherwise you would have to wear your 'Walk-sox' on the way there and then change into your  'Watcher-sox' during the game.



So, it's true that I was only allowed my first pair of long pants when our family made a trip to the snowfields of Thredbo! Even then, I think it was touch and go and I nearly ended up wearing shorts in the Alps, although the prospect of going tobogganing in shorts is still enough make one wince in anticipation of a snow drift making its way up your shorts and into the nether regions.  Maybe thats where the term 'snowball' came from!?

So of course, the conversation soon turned to other incredibly important and pressing issues along the same line, and we immediately began to worry about where the name of  'Jocks' came from, which in Australia refers to a mans underwear...well...underpants, a term that I for some reason find grossly off putting.

I can't imagine it came from the single fact that Jockey's wear 'Jocks' because so do lots of males, although some who wish to show off their 'manliness', I am told, may not.

But if it did come from Jockeys, then applying the same principle, a Hair Dresser would wear 'Hox" , and a plumber would have 'Pox' I suppose, which would be rather unfortunate.

 Or have I got that wrong? Perhaps a Hairdresser would wear " Hairies" and a Plumber would be showing us his "Plums" which is equally as unfortunate.

On that note, I best put on my 'Publishing sox', followed by my 'Rush sox' , my 'Driving sox', my 'Drinking sox' ( it's Happy hour day) and finally my 'Dinner sox'.

I just had a terrible thought. All those 'Odd sox' in the drawer. And what happens to my little hypothesis when you start to mix them up.

I'm going to pull up my socks, and leave. And come up with a new topic of conversation to be had over dinner tonight.

Bye for now!

Ned Hoskin
http://saidbyned.blogspot.com/
www.wedbyned.com.au