blake wrote on Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:02:09 GMT:

> - i paid about six bucks. christmas before last i got a knife
> for my dad and for my girlfriend (despite the folklore
> prohibition on giving knives as gifts). thanks again for the
> tip.

I was brought up with the Scots tradition that giving a knife was
unlucky unless the recipient gave a small coin in return, thereby
"buying" it.
--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not