26 Jul 2004

Educating children

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.

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    Waiting for a flight to Heathrow I overheard a Canadian girls soccer team ask their teacher at the airport "will we need our passports to get into Wales?" answer "I'm not sure, you'll need it when we land in London, maybe to get into Wales". hmm... I felt like asking if you needed one to cross from newfoundland to Nova Scotia. I was travelling with my new-ish laptop. Having lugged a Toshiba the size of a Samsonite around I am very appreciative of my slim übernotebook. I reckon you'll soon be wondering why you ever went for the Tibook. Have fun in Brum.----- hmm.. just reread that post and its sounds really shite (kinda like name dropping). Sorry.

    by Ian @ 28/07/2004 9:07 am • Permalink •

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    at the age of 54 I realise that sometimes, as my dad tells me something, in detail and usually about some sort of paperwork and procedure necessary to deal with at his demise, my eyes glaze over just as they did when I was a kid. It was only when I recognised the same glaze in my childrens eyes that I appreciated his anger and humiliation at the time. This is just one of many small recurring patterns of generational warfare and eventual parental revenge. I picture Lucys kids on the african savannah with a glazed look as Lucy rambles on about how when shé was a kid they used to live in trees etc. and etc.

    by john @ 01/08/2004 7:08 am • Permalink •

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