Breath Tests and Breath Checks: Never the twain shall meet
Simon Comer’s Freudian slip at the most recent Galway City Joint Policing Committee (JPC) gave some food for thought.
During a discussion on drink driving in the city, which is on the increase, the community representative had some difficulty pronouncing the word ‘breath’ followed by the word ‘tests’.
And so for befuddled Simon, ‘breath tests’ at Garda Mandatory Alcohol Test checkpoints became ‘breast checks’.
It’s not quite a ‘She sells sea shells on the sea shore’ tongue twister but you can see how breath and breast could be mixed up especially when you throw in checks and tests.
Simon left some (male) members breathless with all his talk of breasts, and the thought of checking them.
We were reluctant to bring the gaffe to the attention of the public for fear it gives ideas to some bean counter somewhere bloodthirsty for more austerity.
Can’t you just see them now, justifying new Garda and health service cuts: “Drink driving is on the increase in Galway City. And breast cancer remains one of the big illnesses. To save money, why don’t we combine Mandatory Alcohol Test checkpoints with Simon’s Mandatory Breast Tests,” the An Bórd Snip boob will say, leaving us all breathless.
Also in this week's column:
Barely never bulled a cow; Lecturer's Lolly; Clear your diary...all in this week's City Tribune, available here