Brixton briefcase
When I was about 14 (back in 1984), I had a rather large, portable stereo cassette player. Those of a certain age (mine) will recall that these were sometimes referred to as Brixton briefcases, or wog boxes. To place the second term into some context for the younger readers, the 1970s and early '80s were a time when racism was somehow more acceptable than it is today: a lot of TV comedy was based around racial stereotypes and a lot of peer banter was based upon one's most distinguishing features (big nose, shorty, ginge etc.) The point that I'm trying to make is that "wog box" was an accepted term.

Now I tended to speak to my parents in much the same way I did my mates and therefore thought nothing of referring to my wog box in any other way than that. So as far as far as my dear old mum was concerned, that's what they were called. I don't know if she thought it was a brand name or something but she'd not heard such a device being referred to as "A stereo cassette player", always "wog box".

Then one day, she decided that she'd like a portable music device like mine, for listening to cassettes in the garden. So off she went to Dixons and therein politely enquired, "Could I see your wog boxes please?"
( <>Dog www.stevelaker.blog, Fri 28 Oct 2011, 14:05, 3 replies)

:)
office pfft
(waxdart hello., Fri 28 Oct 2011, 14:27, closed)

just a point
Wog box was never a acceptable term. I am mixed race and British and grew up in the 70's and 80's (similar age to you) and what was thought to be acceptable actually hurt and upset. Wog has always hurt, no one ever called me a wog with good intentions.

Back then I used to take the often and common racist abuse on the chin - especially when half my friends were leveling it at me. Only when I started to react and push back did it stop, when my friends realised that it was hurtful they stopped.
( sutit only the crumbliest, flakiest posts, Fri 28 Oct 2011, 19:20, closed)

"Acceptable"
With hindsight, "acceptable" was perhaps the wrong choice of word. "Accepted" - although unfortunate - is probably a more accurate reflection of the national psyche at the time.

Bear in mind that this was a time when Bernard Manning and Jim Davidson were at the peaks of their careers and the latter was on prime time TV. Now both were racist cunts but their "humour" was fairly mainstream. Then there was Alf Garnett, Spike Milligan and a whole host of others.

I guess we're talking about a time when Britain was (wrongly) less sensitive and before we grew up.

I was never my intention to offend anyone at the time, nor with the re-telling of the story but if I have offended you in any way, I apologise unreservedly.
( <>Dog www.stevelaker.blog, Tue 1 Nov 2011, 11:23, closed)