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.