You triggered an ancient memory, and I am compelled to share it. Here goes...
Many years ago, I was watching the old "Lassie" series on an old Magnavox black and white TV. In this episode, the Grandfather went to the old crank telephone and rang "central". He knew the central operator personally; I believe her name was "Milllie". He said "Hello, Millie"...and then a pause, and he says "Oh, fair to middlin". Then he says, "let me talk to Doc So and So...Thanks".
Pretty soon, he says "Hi, Doc...Oh, I'm fit as a fiddle Doc"...and proceeds to carry on his conversation. When he hangs up, the Mother says to him "Dad, how come you are 'fair to middlin' to Millie, and 'fit as a fiddle to Doc?
He says: "If I had told Millie I was 'fit as a fiddle' she would have told everybody I had been drinking; and if I had told Doc I was 'fair to midlin', he would have thought I was sick and would have made me come in to see him".