The herd is thinned:
Parents pray as girl, 11, dies of diabetes
http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/04/28/prayer.death.ap/index.html
Mean? Perhaps, but not as much as letting a little girl die, surely. It's the circle of life, people.
Couldn't agree more... I would recommend a Darwin Award, except that the unfortunate victim that might qualify was forced into the situation by parents who really shpould have been weeded out decades ago. Harsh? As you say Chris, not as harsh as letting your own daughter die in the name of religion.
Posted by: Thom at May 21, 2008 11:44 AMI have noted lately that some people will relate a story to me and then not be prepared at all for some obvious follow-up questions.
When I ask simple, logical questions out of curiousity or just conversational etiquette, they are completely non-plussed.
Someone will mention that, say (and here I am completely fabricating a story so as not to call anyone out), last week at work, someone snuck into the kitchen and re-arranged the letters on someone's birthday cake to spell a very rude word. That'll be about all I get - they've reached the end of the story.
So with only that information, my line of questioning might go like:
Q: Oh my! What was the word they spelled out?
And the response will be
A: I don't know - I didn't actually see it. But I heard it was VERY inappropriate.
OK. That... seems like a detail to know. But then I might press on:
Q: Wow - well, did they ever find out who did it?
A: I don't know! But Gladys sure was upset when she saw it.
Hmmm. OK. Well...
Q: So, are there any suspects? Who would have something against Gladys? Are they trying to figure out who did it?
A: Umm... well, Gladys just wasn't very happy. But we ate it anyway and did the best we could.
So basically some random act of cake-profanity happened but nobody asked any questions whatsoever, or even thought they should. And anyone who WOULD continue to ask questions will end up feeling like some annoyingly aggressive interrogator for wanting to know more, like Bob Woodward trying to strong-arm a reluctant witness. TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CAKE, FOR THE SAKE OF THE NATION!
The word was F***! Okay? I did it. Gladys is a bitch! She deserved it. How's that? Hope you're well. :)
Posted by: klugula at April 24, 2008 10:07 PMChris, these are reasonable questions. Quite central to the story.
Perhaps the storyteller is more of an existentialist? To them the story might revolve less around the solving of an amusing crime, and more on how said crime impacted upon the victim and others swept up in the drama.
Your follow-up questions should be accompanied with deep, profound sighs - I mean empty the lungs completely and loudly - when they are not answered adequately. This is a subtle cue to the existentialist that more information might be required to bring future stories to a wider audience.
Posted by: simon at April 27, 2008 11:32 AMDid I feel jaunty upon wearing it at the flea market? No, I felt like I would be, and needed to be, punched. But perhaps a hat is the key to EVERYTHING.
Hi Chris. I can see you in a porkpie hat. Hat's complete a look, and I wish they would be full-force in fashion (with the exception of baseball caps, which always make the wearer look 12). Buster Keaton wasn't the same in the films he didn't have his porkpie hat with him (The General, etc.). Try doing a pratfall with and without your porkpie hat. I think you'll find it works better with.
Posted by: simon at April 27, 2008 11:21 AM