When James Lee Burke's noire hero Dave Robicheaux offers to some
mobsters that they all stop playing "Drop the Handkerchief"- I figured
it was a reference to something like " Drop the Soap".

Imagine my surprise when, at a birthday party given for one of my
daughter's nursery school pals, the hostess suggested the kids play "
drop the handkerchief"- can't remember what it was but I did plead a
complete lack of imagination when asked " What did you think it was?"

Drew "embracing my Suburbanity" Diaz