My mother always said: "Mean what you say and say what you mean."
My work file had a notation: 'Be careful what you ask Sandy to do as she takes it quite literally.'

I was driving along, singing a song
when a snide officer pulled along-side:
"You're gonna have to slow and stop a head."

I looked puzzled and he stared at me, red.
"Do you understand ev'rything I said?"

"Yep! You've a certain shade in mind?"
"Octagonal, red!"

Stopped. Did what he said.
The cop, peeling lead,
came, called his supervisor who arrived
and smiled as if he were upon my side.

"Did you notice the color of her hair?"

"Why? It's blonde though I really do not care!"

"Son, with blondes, you must choose your words with care.
Sometimes we all think their heads are filled with air."

"Ma'am, what is going on?"

"I've stopped two red heads
. . . neither's octagon!"