I was having a conversation with someone about my attempt to get money from my ex husband.
I said 'It might be easier this time as his previous accountant was bent, the one he has now isn't'
Them 'You can't say bent,'
Me 'Why not, I'm not making an accusation in court and I'm telling the truth'
Them 'Is his new accountant straight?'
Me, puzzled 'No, he's gay, but what's that got to do with anything'
'But you said his previous accountant was bent!'
Me 'Yes he was'
Me, with the light finally dawning 'His previous accountant was crooked financially but straight sexually, his current accountant is straight financially but gay sexually'
Ye gods, that got complicated, I wouldn't refer to someone who was gay as being bent, I would feel that was inappropriate, to me, bent means legally crooked.
7 comments:
It's a minefield! I would have thought 'bent' meant crooked as well.
Oh, Sweet Jesus, of course " bent" means dishonest! Joyce
Possibly a reflection of "them" and what's going on in their head, rather than you, I think.
bent means dishonest, it always has.
Absolutely. "Bent as a five bob note" was a saying I used to hear. Meaning crooked as a pike staff! Lol. Surely bent has never meant gay?
Reminded of that old story about the conversation in court
Barrister; M'Lud, my client has always moved in the best circles
Judge ; Then in future, see that he goes straight!
I guess it's one of those expressions that has a number of connotations and depends on time and place for meaning.
It has a number of different meanings in the states.
Here in NY late 50's early 60's, in certain circles, it was a reference to being gay.
There was a play I saw in the later 70's in London, during my very last performing gig, which starred Ian Mckellen, entitled "Bent". It dealt with being gay in Nazi Germany.
Funny how expressions get around and change meanings!!
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