# Deciphering Cryptic Phrase. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 29, 2015, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deciphering-cryptic-phrase/726443 "2015-07-29T02:57:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2015, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deciphering-cryptic-phrase/726443/1 "2015-07-29T02:57:43Z")
I don’t know if I ever said this on these boards at least. But Noël and her husband really have helped me a lot, since my father died 5 years ago. They help me with my cleaning, but other things too. Anyways, the other day I was talking with Pete (Noël’s husband). And I was telling him, I would never be able to get illegal drugs, because I never hang out with that type of crowd. (I’m not bragging. It’s true. Although I do agree all drugs should be legalized–I digress.) And I am careful, for own safety as well, to avoid certain groups and places. Yes, Pete said, you should stay away from “wet places and wet faces”. I had no idea what he meant. But I just nodded intelligently as if I did. Then curiosity got best of me. So I asked a family member (my cousin, if you must know). He didn’t know. So what-the-heck, I thought, I just asked Noël what her husband could have meant. She didn’t know either! But she brought up a good point. Pete grew up in a Polish neighborhood in SE Michigan (where I live, BTW). Maybe it was a regional thing. The SDMB is my last resort. One of you has to tell me. What does that phrase mean? “Wet places and wet faces”? And while we’re at it, where did it originate, for that matter? I really and truly want and need to know. Thank you in advance for quenching my curiosity:):)🙂 P.S. And yes, I could ask Pete, I know. But I would be too embarrassed to, at this point, if you must know:). ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2015, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deciphering-cryptic-phrase/726443/2 "2015-07-29T03:25:02Z")
It means stay away from bars and drinkers if you have a drinking problem. So he’s just echoing your practice of avoiding the things you don’t want to do. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2015, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deciphering-cryptic-phrase/726443/3 "2015-07-29T07:20:57Z")
First google was AA (Alcoholics Anonymous). 4th was this thread. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2015, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deciphering-cryptic-phrase/726443/4 "2015-07-29T11:44:57Z")
Me, I’m a sucker for low places. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2015, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deciphering-cryptic-phrase/726443/5 "2015-07-29T12:22:35Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > It means stay away from bars and drinkers if you have a drinking problem. So he’s just echoing your practice of avoiding the things you don’t want to do. I would never have guessed that - thanks! Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2015, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deciphering-cryptic-phrase/726443/6 "2015-07-29T12:49:45Z")
I can’t speak for the rest of us, but I drink from glasses, cans and bottles, not a trough. Worst case scenario, I’ve got sleeves. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2015, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deciphering-cryptic-phrase/726443/7 "2015-07-29T19:09:26Z")
♪\*Lookin’ for love in all the wet places…\*♫ ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2015, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deciphering-cryptic-phrase/726443/8 "2015-07-29T20:27:21Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > I can’t speak for the rest of us, but I drink from glasses, cans and bottles, not a trough. Worst case scenario, I’ve got sleeves. Ooh la la! Lookit Mr. Fancy Turnip! ---
**Author:** ![BrassyPhrase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2015, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deciphering-cryptic-phrase/726443/9 "2015-07-29T21:10:40Z")
I thought this thread was going to be about my cousin. I’ve never been able to figure him out either. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deciphering-cryptic-phrase/726443/10 "2015-07-30T12:38:54Z")
Lifelong SE Michigan resident. Never heard that phrase. I assume the “Polish neighborhood in SE Michigan” you refer to is Hamtramck, where I lived for a few years during my early 20s (and spent a lot of time in “wet places”. Don’t know if it’s true, but I heard somewhere that Hamtramck has more bars per capita than any other city in America).