Here is an in-context example of the term "rubber peach" from Write if you get work: the best of Bob & Ray (New York: Random House, 1975)



RAY Now, as a public service paid for by the Philanthropic Council to Make Things Nicer, we invite you to spend another educational session with the idol of the nation's youngsters -- Mr. Science. As we look in on the modern, well-equipped laboratory today, we see that little Jimmy Schwab is just arriving to watch Mr. Science perform his latest fascinating experiment.

(Sound: Door slam)

MR. SCIENCE Oh, hello there, Jimmy. You're just in time to watch me perform my latest fascinating experiment.

JIMMY Gee willikers, Mr. Science. I'm always fascinated by your fascinating experiments. Which one are your going to perform today?

MR. SCIENCE Well, Jimmy, today we're going to observe what happens when we boil water right here in the laboratory.

JIMMY Great day in the morning, Mr. Science! . . . I don't understand what you're talking about.

MR. SCIENCE Well, it's really not as complicated as it sounds. You see, each chemical property has its own particular temperature point at which it changes from a liquid to a gas. And loosely defined, steam is the form of gaseous vapor that water is converted into when we heat it to 212 degrees.

JIMMY Holy mackerel, Mr. Science. I don't understand that even worse than what you said the first time.

MR. SCIENCE Well, don't worry about it, son. I'm sure it'll all become very clear to you after you've observed today's experiment. Now, in order to see what happens when we bring water to the boiling point, we must first prepare our laboratory equipment to heat it to 212 degrees.

JIMMY Gosh-all hemlock, Mr. Science. What's that piece of laboratory equipment you're lighting with a match?

MR. SCIENCE This device is called a candle, Jimmy.

JIMMY A candle! Holy suffering catfish. Wait'll I tell all the kids at school I've seen one of those.

MR. SCIENCE Now, just try to keep your enthusiasm under control, boy. We still haven't gotten to the most amazing part. Watch what happens when I hold this test tube filled with water over the lighted candle.

JIMMY Golly Moses, Mr. Science! Nothing happened at all.

MR. SCIENCE Well, that's only because the water hasn't been heated quite long enough yet. Remember, I told you that all chemical properties are converted from liquid to vapor once their temperature rises sufficiently.

JIMMY Great Jumping Jehoshaphat! The water's starting to get all bubbling on top. I guess doing that instead of turning into a vapor offers conclusive proof that water's not a chemical property. Right, Mr. Science?

MR. SCIENCE No. That's not quite correct, Jimmy. You see, those bubbles indicate that the water is starting to boil. And now, if you'll look closely, you can see steam beginning to rise from the test tube.

JIMMY Oh, wowie-two-shoes! But that stuff sure looks an awful lot like the smoke that was rising from the candle. You wouldn't try to slip me the old rubber peach just because I'm a gullible child, would you, Mr. Science?

MR. SCIENCE No. Of course not, Jimmy. Notice how my hand gets wet when I pass it through the cloud of steam like this. And that mean the vapor has converted itself back into water again.

JIMMY Boy oh boy, you're hand's sure wet, all right, Mr. Science. I feel as though one of nature's eternal secrets has just been unlocked before my very eyes.

MR. SCIENCE That's very cleverly phrased, Jimmy. And--

JIMMY I'll bet this little bottle would get equally wet if I passed it through the cloud of steam.

MR. SCIENCE No. Don't do that, Jimmy. The contents of that bottle must never be exposed to heat! Keep it away from here, boy!

JIMMY But I only want to see if the outside of the bottle will--

(Sound: Explosion)

ANNOUNCER Mr. Science has been brought to you as a public service paid for by the Philanthropic Council to Make Things Nicer. Today's broadcast was the last in our current series.