A plaque remaining from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem.

Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.

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“Don’t be a chaser, be the one who gets chased. You are the tequila, not the lime” (3/28)
“Shoutout to ATM fees for making me buy my own money” (3/27)
“Thank you, ATM fees, for allowing me to buy my own money” (3/27)
“Anyone else boil the kettle twice? Just in case the boiling water has gone cold…” (3/27)
“Shout out to ATM fees for making me buy my own money” (3/27)
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Entry from July 11, 2012
“I used up all my sick days, so I called in dead” (workplace saying)

“I used up all my sick days, so I called in dead” (or “I ran out of sick days, so I called in dead”) is an office saying that has been printed on many gift items, such as T-shirts, posters and buttons. “I used up all my sick leave so I called in dead” has been cited in print since at least 1986 and is of unknown authorship.
 
   
Google Books
6 October 1986, The Herald (Rock Hill, SC), “Work or play: Chester County couple together” by Judy Hoffmeyer, pg. 1B, col. 6:
A sign over her desk says: “I used up all my sick leave so I called in dead.”
 
6 December 1993, Fresno (CA) Bee
A saying making the rounds: “I ran out of sick days, so I called in dead.”
 
6 January 1994, Orlando (FL) Sentinel, “Hill gives Shaq lesson: Ref-bashing won’t help” by Larry Guest, pg. D1:
Bumper sticker spotted on US 1: “I Ran Out of Sick Days, So I Called in Dead.”
 
5 August 1998, Washington (DC) Post, “With Drum Roll, the Best T-Shirts of 1998” by Bob Levey, pg. D20:
“I Used Up All My Sick Days So I Called In Dead”—Vera Rausch, of Rockville, and Dave Dunn, of McCoole, Md.
   
Google Books
Laugh Out Loud:
A selection of the finest Internet humour, anecdotes and wisdom

By Vivienne Smithdorf and Vanessa Wilson
Sandton, South Africa: Vsquared
2004
Pg. 192:
I used up all my sick days ... so I called in dead.
 
Google Books
Tweet This Book:
The 1,400 Greatest Quotes of All Time in 140 Characters Or Less

By Sayre Van Young and Marin Van Young
Berkeley, CA: Ulysses Press
2011
Pg. 101:
I used up all my sick days so I called in dead.
Anonymous

Posted by Barry Popik
New York CityWork/Businesses • Wednesday, July 11, 2012 • Permalink


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