druthers

"If I had my druthers, I would not be a king. I'd druther be just what I am than any other thing."

1929, Harry McClintock, "If I Had My Druthers"

"If you had your druthers—" Old Lew was always saying, "If I had my druthers, gimme one of them there Shevrolics."

1950, Alice Walworth Graham, The Natchez Woman

"If I had my druthers," he informs us, "I'druther be myself — not because I'm anythin' special, just because it's convenient."

1957, Society of Arts and Crafts, Theatre Arts, volume 41, page 29

“You were a little to the right, Mr. Finch,” he called. “Always was,” answered Atticus. “If I had my ‘druthers I’d take a shotgun.”

1960 July 11, Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, Philadelphia, Pa.; New York, N.Y.: J[oshua] B[allinger] Lippincott Company, →OCLC

If I'd had my "druthers," our engagement would not have been two and one half years long. But schooling made our druthers invalid.

1977, Carole Mayhall, From the Heart of a Woman