Have I told you this story?🍌 Many years ago I had to read "Garbage in the Cities: Refuse, Reform, and the Environment" by Martin V. Melosi. There was an excerpt from a list of things collected off the sidewalk/street in one small area as part of a municipal study back when cities didn't have a standardized trash collection system (late 19th-early 20th century) So many banana peels! 🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌 I exclaimed excitedly "This is the origin of the banana peel pratfall!" Those around me looked at me blankly. 🍌 Side note: I once slipped on a banana peel in a parking lot and nearly did the splits. 🍌
An African American falls onto the sidewalk, landing hard on his back, his hat comes off, the man is wearing a grey zoot suit and extremely wide brimmed hat, on a city street sidewalk, busy 1940 street, his left leg is high in the air and he is falling backwards with his legs forward of his head, slipping ...