Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Turd Creek

The other day I said to my coworker Brenda, “Then you’d really be up Turd Creek without a paddle!”

“Well, that’s a new way of putting it!” she replied.

I asked her what she meant and she said that she’d never heard that term before. She is from New Jersey, though, so I figured that this was a regional saying.

Then I dropped it on the in-laws last weekend. Mark and Marian laughed at my remark, but I was being serious. They, too, had not heard of Turd Creek. Like Brenda, they’ve heard of “Up a creek…” but not specifically Turd Creek.

I got this term from my Dad. I googled it though and there was almost nothing on it. My dad’s family is from Alabama, so I’m wondering if it’s a Southern thing. I think it’s a much more effective saying than plain, “up a creek without a paddle.” Whoopie do. You’re up a creek without a paddle. Just use your arms, fool!

But if I found myself up TURD Creek, I’d be more concerned. Not dipping my arms into that water! If THAT doesn’t mean stranded, I don’t know what does.

So, has anyone else out there heard this term before? Or is this a “Tom Teague Special”?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've heard the not so nice version of "turd" creek.

Yep, lots of times. I think "turd creek" is more family friendly, and funnier.

JEss

Anonymous said...

The one variation I've heard from others is "up s*** creek with a turd for a paddle." I thought it was quite commonplace.

It also seems to have quite a few hits on google.

http://www.google.com/search?q=up+shit+creek+with+a+turd+for+a+paddle&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

April said...

Aha! Thank you, sir and madam!

You guys are right. So it IS a normal term! Just with a different slang word.

I love "up S*** creek with a turd for a paddle." Excellent. Come to think of it, I think I've heard that one before, too.