A weekend Stuff web-site item read “Police seeks man considered very dangerous”. Under that heading was a photo of the fugitive with the caption, “Bryce Studd-Proctor was wanted by Police”.
“Was”? – Presumably, contrary to the heading he was no longer wanted. This practise is not uncommon with dopey young girls. Consider this.
A few weeks ago I arranged to visit a senior medical specialist mate with a large practise and consequently, 4 receptionists.
I bowled in and said I had an appointment with him, not then noting that expecting me, he’d emerged from his end office and was standing in his doorway laughing at the following exchange.
ME: “I have an appointment with X”.
Dopey Girl: “What was your name?”
ME (with blank face): “I haven’t changed it”.
Dopey Girl (looking puzzled): “What was it?”
ME: “Still the same”.
By now her colleagues were giggling at her, so bewildered, she moved to her next verbal nonsense.
Dopey Girl: “Take a seat”.
ME (still with blank expression): “Where shall I take it to?”
More bewilderment.
My mate then bowled over to collect me but not before I said to the girl, “I’ll give you a million dollars if you can tell me where Belgium is”.
We then duly repaired to my friend’s office where he opened a bottle of red and introduced me to a new specialist colleague.
Half an hour later when we emerged the dopey girl shouted, “Belgium’s in Europe”, her colleagues having told her this.
ME: “That’s not telling me where it is. There’s about 50 countries in Europe. Give me a sheet of paper and I’ll draw a map of Europe and the million is yours if you can even roughly point to where it is”.
She declined this offer.
The pervading ignorance today is mind-boggling. The state school education I received in the 1940s and 1950s was outstanding.
At 12 years of age in my last primary school year, I have no doubt the majority of my 40 or so class-mates could have pointed to Belgium on a map. And most certainly, they did not talk in the past tense.
10 Comments
Brilliant – love it! Keep this up Sir Bob!
Give her credit where credit is due. She was working – at not from home. She’s a heroine.
Notwithstanding the issues regarding tenses past or otherwise, I also find it odd that the police keep referring to themselves as if they (it?) was a single entity. For example “Police is very concerned about such and such…”
Wouldn’t it make more sense to refer to them in the plural? Or is it just me?
In the early 50s we were extremely fortunate to have teachers, many of whom had received life training at a young age, overseas in a uniform. They knew stuff, and it was reflected in the quality of our education, I reckon.
When organising an appointment beyond one week in advance, the expression ‘I will see you Friday week’ also bemuses many of the younger set now.
I will never forget some years ago a young female TV reporter was covering a story about well know Christchurch architects Warren and Mahoney. She described them as ‘Warren Armani’.
Great fun… and thank you for the tip on reading Alexander McCall Smith. I have started on his titles at the local library.
I LIKED this.
Yes, you’re right – we were taught stuff long before it became mandated.
Might be time to pay teachers based on performance..though one thinks half the problem is the lack of discipline or respect (a significant portion of) children have towards teachers. The byproduct of no consequences, and entitlement (which extends to parents also) brought on by idealists.
Bringing a few more male teachers wouldnt hurt either. Charter schools are the short term answer to these problems.
Most schools dont give out homework these days either; the result of a bloated bureaucracy keeping themselves busy in Wellington.
I had to laugh at the youth worker on TV this morning, indicating boot camp is the wrong approach to take for repeat offenders., seeing this a punishment. These camps, like boarding school and the army, are all about teaching respect, self discipline and structure. This journalism is poor, which explains why most educated people dont watch main stream media anymore.
‘What was the name’ is almost standard whenever I am asked. I respond ‘it was Fred XXX – still is.’
For the record…I am quite prepared to point out Belgium for only half the amount offered.