Alright, alright, let me tell ya ’bout this thing, this “86 81”, or whatever they call it. I ain’t no fancy pants scholar, ya know? Just a regular person tryin’ to make sense of things. Heard folks throwin’ this number around, so I figured, why not dig a little, huh?
First thing I heard, it’s got somethin’ to do with food, like when they run outta somethin’ at the diner. Yeah, you know, like when you go in for that good ol’ apple pie and they tell ya, “Sorry, ma’am, it’s 86’d.” Means they ain’t got none left. Simple as that. No pie for you today, honey.
Then I hear it ain’t just food. They use it for people too! Can ya believe it? Like if somebody’s causin’ trouble, they get 86’d outta the place. Kicked to the curb, you know? Like that time ol’ man Jenkins got a little too rowdy at the town fair. They 86’d him right outta there. He wasn’t happy, let me tell ya. But rules are rules, even for grumpy old Jenkins.
- So, 86 means no more, gone, finished.
- Food’s gone? 86’d.
- Person’s gotta go? 86’d.
Now, this “81” thing, that’s a new one on me. Folks are sayin’ it’s kinda like 86, but maybe not so… permanent? Like, maybe it’s just for a little while. Or maybe it’s like, you can have it later, but not right now. Kinda confusing if ya ask me. Why can’t they just say what they mean, huh? But I guess that’s how these young folks talk these days. Always gotta have their own lingo.
I heard some folks sayin’ this 86 thing started way back when, in them fancy city places, with the soda fountains and all. They used it when they ran outta somethin’, like a special soda flavor or somethin’. And then it just kinda stuck around, and people started usin’ it for all sorts of things. Funny how words work, ain’t it? Start out one place, end up meanin’ somethin’ totally different.
And then there’s those stories, the real dark ones, about the mafia and all. They say 86 means takin’ somebody out, way out, like 8 miles out of town, and burryin’ ’em 6 feet under. Scary stuff, ain’t it? Makes ya think twice ‘fore ya go around usin’ these words without knowin’ what they mean. But I reckon most folks just usin’ it for the food thing, or tellin’ somebody to get lost.
So, there ya have it. My two cents on this 86 81 business. Ain’t no expert, mind ya, just tellin’ ya what I heard. It means somethin’s gone, or somebody’s gotta go. Sometimes it’s for good, sometimes it’s just for a bit. And sometimes, well, sometimes it’s better not to ask too many questions, ya know? Just nod your head, say “okay,” and move on. That’s what I do, anyhow. Keeps life simpler that way.
But one thing’s for sure, if you hear somebody say “86“, you ain’t gettin’ what you asked for. Whether it’s that last piece of pie or a seat at the table, it’s gone. And if you hear “81,” well, maybe there’s still hope. Or maybe not. Like I said, it’s all a bit confusing. But that’s life for ya, ain’t it? A whole lotta confusion, mixed in with a little bit of pie, and a whole lotta folks just tryin’ to make sense of it all.
So next time you at the diner or wherever, and they say, somethin’ is “86,” you will know what that means, it’s gone, simple as that.
Tags: [86, 81, slang, restaurant, meaning, terminology, jargon, history, food, people]
