func squeeze(str, c) {
    str.gsub(Regex("(" + c.escape + ")" + '\1+'), {|s1| s1 })
}

var strings = ["",
        '"If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?" --- Abraham Lincoln ',
        "..1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111117777888",
        "I never give 'em hell, I just tell the truth, and they think it's hell. ",
        "                                                   ---  Harry S Truman  ",
        "😍😀🙌💃😍😍😍🙌"]

var squeeze_these = ["", "-", "7", ".", " -r", "😍"]

[strings, squeeze_these].zip {|str,st|
    say "    original: «««#{str}»»» (length: #{str.len})"
    st.each {|c|
        var ssq = squeeze(str, c)
        say "'#{c}'-squeezed: «««#{ssq}»»» (length: #{ssq.len})"
    }
    say ''
}