Judge, 1930-12-27 · page 11 of 37
Judge — December 27, 1930 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Judge Magazine Satire Analysis This page contains two distinct humorous pieces: **"Speaking of Operations"** is a satirical dialogue between two men (appearing to be city officials or engineers) who discuss urban infrastructure work using medical surgery terminology. They describe traffic disruptions, water main problems, and telephone line repairs as if performing surgical operations. The joke plays on the grandiose language professionals use for routine maintenance work—treating street repairs with the drama of major surgery. References to Elm Street, Filbert Avenue, and Buena Vista Boulevard suggest these are actual city locations, making the satire locally specific. **"People We Want to Meet"** is a list of desirable character types—people who restrain themselves during the holidays (don't shake presents, don't complain about Christmas, don't demand attention). The humor lies in identifying increasingly rare examples of self-control and moderation, implicitly criticizing the opposite behaviors as common among readers' acquaintances. Both pieces use gentle, observational satire typical of *Judge* magazine's approach to American middle-class life and civic affairs.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Speaking of Operations ‘Wiar was a wonderful case you handled over in Elim Street last week, George.” “Tut-tut, Edwin, that was nothing. One of the simplest operations I've ever had. Merely a. slight’ gaseous condition, We made one incision, tied up the traffic for a few hours, and that was all.” “DT handled a similar ease not long ago in Filbert Avenue, Geo But it was more stubborn. Compound ad hesions of the water And we lost that case, too, A- few minutes more and it) would have burst.” “Did [ever tell you, Edwin, of my last operation in Buena Vista Boule- vard? Apparently there wrong. But after a diagnosis we de- cided to take a look at the main tele- phone artery. We probed without success. Then we made a te was nothing incision, and, will you believe artery was not where it should have on the left side, George? And not on the right side, either! We operated both places! I tell you, vretty puzzled. Then one of we'd taken we were my assistants recalled tha it out three months ago!” and suspense for nothing, el “That wasn’t all, Edwin. A few “1 don’t believe John will ever grow up—he enjoys playing with the JUDGE children so!” days later I looked for my cable snip- pers and a small concrete-mixer and couldn't find them, It was a danger- ous thing to do, of course—the inei- sion was not completely healed yet— but we were compelled to re-operat “And were the implements there? “They were, Edwin, And we also found two shovels, sever: a pinochle deck that the last erew had } left behind!” —Cuer Jouxson | novels and People We Want to Meet WE woman who re 1 “Do Not Open Until Christm: ackage | and doesn't shake it. | The father who gives his son an clectric engine and doesn’t have to spend the whole afternoon showing the youngster how it is operated. The woman who doesn’t send a card to her husband's boss. Old people who remark that Christ- mas is better than it was in the old days. The ten-year-old who got every- thing he wanted. The college boy who spends any night of his vacation at home. comicbooks.com