Re; AtD excerpt - "got-damn pinkinroller"

[Paul Mackin]

On Aug 5, 2006, at 2:59 PM, Paul Nightingale wrote:

> 	"I can fix that," offered Willis.
> 	"Beg your pardon, what in hell business of any got-damn
> pinkinroller'd this be, again?"
> 	"I know how to loosen that up for you. Trust me, I'm an osteopath."
>
> Willis himself is the "pinkinroller": here, Jimmy Drop is saying  
> it's none
> of his business. Evidently, Willis has now put down the pistol he  
> grasped
> "inexpertly" and is about to demonstrate his own area of expertise.  
> The
> balance of power is shifting (as indicated by the final '"Obliged,  
> Jimmy
> guessed'). Willis has nothing in his hands because his treatment of  
> Jimmy's
> condition will be done with the hands: Jimmy's "just watch where  
> you're
> putting them lilywhites" is a response to the approaching (and as  
> he sees it
> threatening) hands, and makes less sense if Willis is holding  
> anything in
> his hands.
>
> One meaning of 'roller' is thief/pickpocket; again, a possible  
> reference to
> the approaching hands. Jimmy translates what he sees into his own  
> terms of
> reference (again, perhaps).
>
> One meaning of 'to pink' is to peep/peer, possibly what Willis is  
> doing as
> he "slowly and inexpertly raised his revolver, trying to aim it as  
> straight
> as a shaking pair of hands would allow".
>
> Hence, 'pinking roller'.
>
> Again, perhaps.
>
>
>

Hi Paul

My first inclination is to hear "pinkinroller" as a disparaging  
remark about the relative non-lethalness of Willis's antiquated  
colt.  Roller stands for revolver, It's what you see when looking  
into the barrel of  one. Willis's is a pinkinroller because it is of  
small calibre, probably a .22, and capable only of pinking (barely  
scratching) the person it hits. Jimmy Drop no doubt carries a .45.