Wide World of Pranks: Trades

Port & Starboard

If you spend time in the Navy, one thing you better know exactly what Port and Starboard mean.

Every industry has it's own little jargon and the Navy is no exception. It is steeped in specialized terms for almost everything. In the Navy and in all maritime industries, they even have different words for right and left. Left is Port, Right is Starboard and each has it's own color.

Unless you grew up with nautical terms, you are likely to find yourself being a bit confused if you ever enlist in the Navy. People mess it up all the time. One way to help them learn is to give them an unmistakable way of remembering and it works like this.

While the greenhorn is sleeping, you pour the ever popular Navy powdered drink mix into their boots. Red powder (Port) goes in the left boot and green (Starboard) goes in the right. Once they are awakened, they slip on their boots and work a very long, grueling shift. While they are working, sweat from their feet is turning the drink mix into liquid which ends up staining their feet.

When they pull off their boots to relax, they find that their left foot is red and their right foot is green. Due to the potency of the Navy drink mix, the effect lasts a few days. It's also reputed to be a good metal cleaner.

It makes you wonder what it does to your insides.

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