dry cleaning and the origins of berserk

We all know that the word "berserk" came from those people that took part in hostile trading expeditions led by large congolmerates usually from the North. During complex trading negotiations these berserkers would take off their tops and massacre those they were in negotiations with (and probably quite a few of their own major shareholders). 

But, did you stop to think why they did this? Surely disrobing cost valuable massacre time?

 

Well, archeologists may have found the answer. In those old days, as now, it was possible to buy clothes from many stores. Also in common with current times, many of the garments contained washing instructions written in an ancient pictographic script that pre-dates the Cuneiform script. The meaning of these strange symbols have been lost in time. Well, almost lost in time. There is a small group that are still able to read and understand this ancient script. They were and still are called Dry Cleaners. They are able to take the garment, read the ancient script and apply the necessary know-how to clean the garment. 

However, in common with modern times, the cost of consulting the Dry Cleaner was not cheap. It could easily cost a hostile trader a month's wages, or a year in servitude if they were not careful. 

 

Hence, during times of hostile trading the more thoughtful, and canny, traders took off their tops before hostile negotiations started to save on the dry cleaning costs.