One of our favorites was the story of the pineapple. I always was to the knowledge that a pineapple meant "welcome" to which it does. But there is more to the story. When sailors would return home from overseas they would bring home a pineapple. The wife would display it in the window announcing to all that her love was home and to come over to welcome him home. BUT it also was a sign to all her gentlemen callers that her husband was home and NOT to come over! Ha!