Being a good looker-upper when I'm not familiar with a word or phrase, I jumped onto the google, where I found this:
Barkis is willin'
A phrase emphasizing one's availability or openness to a situation. It refers to Mr. Barkis, a character in Charles Dickens' novel David Copperfield, who used the phrase to express his interest in marriage.
This from David Copperfield:
‘Well. I’ll tell you what,’ said Mr. Barkis. ‘P’raps you might be writin’ to her?’‘I shall certainly write to her,’ I rejoined.‘Ah!’ he said, slowly turning his eyes towards me. ‘Well! If you was writin’ to her, p’raps you’d recollect to say that Barkis was willin’; would you?’‘That Barkis is willing,’ I repeated, innocently. ‘Is that all the message?’‘Ye-es,’ he said, considering. ‘Ye-es. Barkis is willin’.’‘But you will be at Blunderstone again tomorrow, Mr. Barkis,’ I said, faltering a little at the idea of my being far away from it then, 'and could give your own message so much better.’As he repudiated this suggestion, however, with a jerk of his head, and once more confirmed his previous request by saying, with profound gravity, ‘Barkis is willin’.That’s the message,’ I readily undertook its transmission.While I was waiting for the coach in the hotel at Yarmouth that very afternoon, I procured a sheet of paper and an inkstand, and wrote a note to Peggotty, which ran thus: ‘My dear Peggotty. I have come here safe. Barkis is willing. My love to mama. Yours affectionately. P.S. He says he particularly wants you to know – BARKIS IS WILLING.’
