I have washed my hands...

[jayrandom]

'Ah', said Sheikh; 'I have heard of this allusive English speech. There was an Assyrian who went to London and he told me about it. Indeed, he gave me important information about it, supported by a telling anecdote.
'It appears that they use a figure of speech here for certain necessary bodily functions. When you are admitted to a house someone says, "Would you like to wash your hands?" The Assyrian was forewarned, so no confusion ensued.'

'Did he wash his hands at home?' I enquired.

'Nearly right. When he arrived, the lady of the house said that he could wash his hands in a small room opening off the front hall. The Assyrian replied with an equally discreet use of the euphemism. He said, "No, thank you. I washed them on the lamp-post before ringint the doorbell".'


-- Idries Shah, "Darkest England".