This is a funny story, and I just thought I’d share it. My friend David and I were howling about it yesterday.
Earlier this week, before I got sick, David and I got together. We had some beers, we talked about everything under the sun. (The whole “soulmate” thing came up. He had read Richard Bach’s stuff, too … so he and I had a LOT to talk about. Talking with him helped clarify some of the things I wanted to say in my soulmate posts that I am working on right now.)
He also told me that he’s doing some play-reading for a theatre company (where new plays are submitted, and they need “readers” to send on comments and recommendations to the company about the play) – and one of the plays he’s reading right now is about Thomas Jefferson. David wanted to talk with me about it, since he knows I’m a freak.
Naturally, I had 7,000 comments.
Vigorous conversation then followed about Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence. Which then led into a conversation about the Constitution.
I was in my glory. As you can imagine.
So, after many hours of convo, David had to head home. He dropped me off at my apartment, and drove off into the night.
15 minutes later, my cell phone rings. It’s midnight or so, so I KNOW it’s David. He has about half an hour drive to get back to his place, and it was a rainy night, and late, so David wanted company for the drive. Keep him awake, all that stuff. So we pick up just where we left off. We talked more about Thomas Jefferson. I was standing in my kitchen, babbling about Jefferson, pacing like a lunatic, gesturing with my free hand.
Then, Constitutional amendments came up. David asked a question.
I, naturally, have a copy of the Constitution, so I pulled it out, and started to read out loud to him all of the Amendments.
He would stop me, we would discuss, I would start up again … and this went on until he pulled safely into his driveway.
It wasn’t until the next day that we realized the ridiculous humor of this, the semi-unbelievable nature of it. Did I just READ OUT LOUD from the Constitution to help him get through his drive home? And that was OKAY WITH HIM???
Geeks of the world unite.
It’s obvious, on many levels, why David and I are friends. Dare I say soulmates? Nah, not soulmates. More like kindred spirits.
How ’bout just FRIENDS? I like that word best. Friends.
“Did I just READ OUT LOUD from the Constitution to help him get through his drive home? … Geeks of the world unite.”
Indeed. I mean, hey, believe me, now that I no longer do tons of comparative constitutional law for work (for the moment), it’s not like I’m about to stop enjoying it. ;-)
Sheila… yeah, I like ‘kindred spirits’ better than ‘soulmates’ too. And there’s nothing wrong with ‘just FRIENDS’ either.
(I can’t wait to hear your own ‘not-sordid story’. Sounds intriguing.)
Bernard –
Stay tuned. Now I can feel I’m putting off “going there”. I was on a roll yesterday. And now I have lost the momentum – but I will get back to it. Bare bones of non-sordid story will be included.
Dave J –
I have no excuse for my interest in this stuff except that I love America, and I love the Founding Fathers, and I wish to God I had been present at the 2nd Constitutional Congress. Oh, for that dern time machine.
Yes, but as we all know the problem with time machines is that you can potentially get involved with your own ancestors, and the further back you go, the more likely and problematic that becomes.
Oh, and those damn flux capacitors are REALLY delicate, although I think I could make a non-frivolus argument based on the UCC that they’re covered by an implied warranty of merchantibility for any Delorean. ;-)