"Yes May. Can I do anything for you?" I said.
"I've just been wondering?" she said.
"What?"
"These girls that beat you up? Both of them called you Nancy. How come? Had you met them before when you were going by that name?"
I was speechless for a second, but Elaine stepped in. "No May," she laughed. "It's a figure of speech we Brits use. They didn't say his name,was Nancy. They used a figure of speech. Actually, called him a 'Nancy boy'."
"A Nancy boy? Never heard that expression." May said thoughtfully. "At least I don't think so. What does it mean - a fag?"
I felt as if I was shriveling up with mortification, but Anne laughed and joined in the conversation. "No May. Here in the U.K? A fag usually means a cigarette. They were calling him a sissy - you know, with him crying and not defending himself- that kind of thing."
"Oh, I see. A sissy! That's a shame!" May replied.