Word coming from the clerks' room was that the partners of the former Patterson, Palmer and Cox, Hanson had settled on a name which had certain masturbatory overtones.
In December, the name making the rounds was Cox Palmer.
Turns out the clerks were a bit off.
Their learned betters decided the firm needed a spiffier name than the one which had been circulating.
They added an ampersand between the two words to unveil:
Cox & Palmer
The addition of that one tiny symbol - much like sticking a fig leaf on David - was supposedly proof against anyone possibly seeing any implications of onanistic pleasure among the briefs.
Job done.
Why bring this up now?
Well, truth be told, it was an issue long forgotten. Until it popped up on the chyron beneath John Crosbie's name as he testified at the senate committee on national finance.
There was the old anti cake-spewer described as "Partner, Cox & Palmer".
Somehow it seemed to make perfect sense.
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