Tuesday, January 18, 2005

Holiday irritations

You're reading a book. Say, Bill Bryson's Short History of Nearly Everything. Visitors arrive for a few days, and you put the book aside (reluctantly) in order to socially interact with family, friends & assorted hangers on. One of your guests picks up the book & has a look. Not just a quick browse mind you, but sits reading it for hours at a time. Irritating?? You bet.

The next day, having retrieved the book & finished it. And having started a new book... you generously say to your guest, "I've finished the Bryson book if you want to read it now." To which he replies "No thanks, I had a good scan of it yesterday & I've got the gist - it's a good book, I couldn't find anything in it that I disagreed with."

Fair enough. In a grit your teeth sort of way.

But later that day, the same guest picks up your new book & spends 3 hours "scanning" that one too.

I didn't ask if he found anything he disagreed with.