履き慣らす

RD 2006 March issueの次のジョークにビジネス英語、教科書英語ではまずお目にかからない「（靴を）履き慣らす」にあたると思われる表現がありました。

While sitting in New York’s Central Park, I watched a little girl as she dragged herself up a path behind her mother.
“Mummy,” she griped loudly, “my feet are so tired.”
“Well, of course you feet are tired,” said the intrepid mother, still charging ahead.
“They’re only five years old. You’ve got to break them in.”

最後の "break them in" は、靴を履き慣らすの意味でしょう。

levity

RD Marchにあった記事です。逸話かジョークか分かりませんが。

The flight I was piloting was overbooked. So the gate agent came aboard with an offer. In exchange for leaving the plane, two volunteers would get fee hotel rooms, meal vouchers and tickets on the next morning’s flight. When nobody volunteered, I decided to try a little levity.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” I said over the PA, “if it helps you in making your decision, I’m not a very good pilot.”

たしかに、幾ら何でも場をわきまえない軽率なジョーダンですよね。 しかし、乗客も負けてはいません。

A loud voice from the back yelled, “Then YOU get off!”