In the movie The Hudsucker Proxy, there’s a scene where Our Hero becomes enscammed by a wily lady reporter in a diner. During this scene, two anonymous blue-collar workers enjoying their lunch provide a running color commentary on her tactics. At the conclusion of the scene, they tell the waitress that they want something that sounds like “bromo.” What are they talking about?
Wikipedia just redirects to the page on Bromine.
Try Bromo-Seltzer.
Bromo fizz is an effervescent stomach medicine (like Alka-Seltzer), probably using bromide as an emulisfier, as is mentioned in the Wikipedia article.
Bromo came in a very tall, thin bottle with a blue label and cap, IIRC. I remember my grandmother taking it after a night of too many beers.
I knew what a Bromo-Seltzer was; still, it’s funny that you’d order one in a restaurant. Is that unusual? Could you order, for instance, a cup of coffee, a piece of pie, and a shot of Robitussin?
Perhaps like the diner which has rolls of Tums for sale near the cash register? Along with the gum, mints, etc.
In my youth (60’s), I was at a drugstore soda fountain/lunch counter and feeling queasy. I mentioned it to the waitress and she produced something (probably Alka-Seltzer) for me to drink on the spot.
I’m sure it wasn’t on the menu. 
Probably just the diner equivalent of a first aid kit.
That’s my favorite scene in any Cohen Bros. movie.
“Here cum the water woiks!”
Agreed.
“Dat gag’s got whiska’s on it!”
Or something like that.
I recall restaurants having bromo-seltzer available back in the late 60’s / early 70’s. I can picture in my mind the little stand that they had for it. Now that I think of it, that is a pretty bad reference for a restaurant!
I spent some time working in a bus station and I often felt queasy after a night of screwing with my biological clock and inhaling diesel fumes. Stopping for breakfast on my way home I would start with a Bromo-Seltzer and seltzer/soda water. After that, and a couple good belches, I could eat without nausea.
I don’t remember the bromo, but I remember the rolls of Tums or Rolaids and the individual packets of Alka-Seltzer. The idea may have been that folks eating out might be trying spicier food or richer food than they normally ate. Or that some people just needed it chronically.
Maybe they just meant figuratively her tactics were making them ill.
Hel-lo Niagra.
Maybe he’s wise Benny.
He don’ look wise, Lou.
When I saw this thread title, that scene immediately came to mind.
Although most Coen fans hate it, I LOVE this movie. It’s like a live-action Warner Bros. cartoon.
I loved it too, because I was working at a place that sounded just like the employer there:
You punch in at 8:30 every morning, except you punch in at 7:30 following a business holiday, unless it’s a Monday, then you punch in at 8 o’clock. Punch in late and** they dock you**. Incoming articles get a voucher, outgoing articles provide a voucher. Move any article without a voucher and they dock you. Letter size a green voucher, oversize a yellow voucher, parcel size a maroon voucher. Wrong color voucher and they dock you! 6787049A/6. That is your employee number. It will not be repeated! Without your employee number you cannot get your paycheck. Inter-office mail is code 37, intra-office mail 37-3, outside mail is 3-37. Code it wrong and** they dock you**! This has been your orientation. Is there anything you do not understand, is there anything you understand only partially? If you have not been fully oriented, you must file a complaint with personnel. File a faulty complaint and they dock you!
And I remember my father loving it: “It’s for the kids!”
Really? Hated? It’s one of my favorites! It’s my husband’s favorite movie ever.
You know, for kids!
I’m sure I read that most people regard the Hud as the Coen’s weakest movie.
…
I’d stake my Pulitzer on it!
It also has one of my favorite sight gags ever: when the reporter opens up Tim Robbins’ desk drawer and a single pencil rolls forward.
I still use “extruded plastic dingus” at every opportunity.
ETA: ooh! ooh! And the old man in the mail room whipping the letters into their slots with pinpoint accuracy. “Do a good job, and they move you to parcels”
Huh?,
Did someone say my name??