English is a language comprised of idioms; there's no reason to single this one out.As for stupidity, here's my favorite:
I work for an animal shelter/animal control nonprofit. One midnight a few years ago, a woman called our emergency officer, very worried.
She'd seen a raccoon out in her yard, drooling and staggering. Fearing that it was sick, she
ahem.
She TIED A STRING AROUND ITS NECK AND BROUGHT IT INTO HER HOUSE, WHERE SHE AND HER KIDS FED IT HOT DOGS.
Yes -- hand-fed this drooling, staggering raccoon hot dogs.
After awhile, it started growling and barking at her; so, with the raccoon still in her house, she called animal control.
Of course, the officer said, "Lady, get that animal out of your house RIGHT NOW!"
So she did: she
ahem.
She PUT IT IN HER CAR, DROVE IT ACROSS TOWN, AND RELEASED IT NEXT TO AN APARTMENT COMPLEX.
Of course, the Health Department made her and her whole family get rabies shots. She called our office and tearfully told me that she would never trust wild animals again: no more would she
ahem.
No more would she CAPTURE WOUNDED RAPTORS AND TAKE THEM HOME AND CARE FOR THEM, IN VIOLATION OF STATE LAW.
What a freakin' nutball. I mean, I get nutball calls about once a week, but nobody has topped her yet.
Daniel
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