I made neighbor Amy repeat the phrase the first time she said it. Then she explained, “You use it when you’re threatening a child.”
Yes, we’re probably showing the age we grew up in. It was perfectly acceptable for a parent to tell a child what was going to happen to him if he didn’t straighten up and fly right. Although I grew up in the South, I hadn’t heard this one before.
The threat was, “I’m gonna jerk a knot in you.”
Amy said, “You have to say it through clenched teeth with a mean twist to your voice like this. If you don’t pick that up right now, I’m gonna jerk a knot in you.”
I laughed and laughed. I can’t imagine those words coming out of my mouth. They might be quite effective if there were no PC police around. Have you ever heard it in real life?
