Educating children

· life ·

Airports can be interesting places for short periods of time. You cross paths with all sorts of fascinating people. While I was waiting in the check-in queue, I overheard a father explaining — in great detail — the entire plot of Part 2 of Wagner's Ring Cycle, Das Rheingold to his early-teenaged son. The boy seemed to be listening fairly attentively to tales of Rhinedaughters and the symbolism of the Ring, which probably made him a bit unusual amongst the ranks of teenagers.

They passed through the check-in desk and disappeared, and I went on my way too. About half an hour later, I saw them again in the Departure Lounge. Dad was still only at the beginning of Scene 2, and Son gave me a slightly glazed and desperate expression. I hope they weren't on a long flight.