Christmas Carols on Train!

Mercury News, Santa Clara, December 23, 2009

From the columns of Mr. Roadshow.

A funny and wonderful thing happened on the train on way home from San Franscisco last week. The conductor was waiting and waiting for a woman to find her ticket.

She was all apologetic and flustered, and he told her, "Don't worry, I will just sing while I wait." She found her ticket, but the conductor hadn't sung a note. When he started to leave, I said, "Come on, you said you would sing!" Well he started with "White Christmas," but then said he didn't know it at all, but he did know "The Twelve Days of Christmas."

So he started that off, and I came in with two calling birds, and pretty soon may be 15 people in the car sang along. We had a few minor disagreements about what exactly is supposed to happen in the ninth, 10th and 11th verses, but we just sorted it out as we went along.

What a kick. Big round of applause at the end. Made my day!

Sue Kemp, Palo Alto

Non Sequitur

Cultural Shock!

Teacher asks a student, "Which brings up the use of Adverbs?"
Student: "WHOA! Now you are really towing the line of offensive language!!"
Teacher: Sighs. "And how are adverbs offensive, Dahne?"
Student: "Cuz verbs describe action and actions can be offensive, so adverbs make them even more offensive!"
Teacher: "Um not all actions are offensive!"
Student: " Well, we don't take chances in my culture, so we ban everything!"
Teacher: "So......in your culture you folks prefer stay illiterate?"
Student: "UH..OH.....sounds like someone's cultural bias is showing!"

Mercury News, 15-12-2009 (while at California-Santa Clara)