Rent-a-N ...

I can't even bring myself to spell out the whole name, and I don't understand what the deuce this is about or what purpose it thinks it's serving.

Just utterly unfunny, and yet there it is online.

The blurb is giggly playground humour.

Why rent? Why not buy?

"As we all know, the purchase of African Americans was outlawed many years ago.

As times have changed the need for black people in your life has changed but not diminished.

The presence of black people in your life can advance business and social reputation.

These days, those who claim black friends and colleagues are on the cutting edge of social and political trends.

R.A.N offers you the chance to capitalize on your connection with a black person. At any gathering our service can bring a freshness and tension that will keep things lively."

I don't understand.

Anyway, I had come across a reference to The Book of Negroes and was looking up 'negro' to check if the title wasn't an inadvertent slur, and found the bizarre 'rental' site.

In re the book, I concluded the author was writing about a time when 'negro' was the applied term and therefore fitted here, altho' I'm not sure how easily certain US bookshops would stock and display it.