A couple of days ago I was shelving some books in the humor aisle and along came a person I would rather not see or talk to. While I was deciding where the book "Grandama's Dead" should go, I heard the familiar and very grating voice call my name.
The Janitor (the saga continues) wanted to tell me about some program he had created for a friend of his. He sent this program to her through email and he thought that I (because I am a 'writer' and all) would find it interesting.
He explained to me that he had compiled a handful of love quotes which opens periodically on your computer. Or something like that. Angie said it sounded like he just made a PowerPoint presentation of quotes. I don't know who to believe.
I told him that could be kind of interesting and then I started to walk away. As I was walking away he wanted to recite one of the quotes for me. Said quote happened to be by William Shakespeare and in my only form of excitement I said "so, is it a sonnet?"
In a moment that still perplexes me, The Janitor looked at me as if he had no idea what a sonnet was. I mean I'm not an expert on sonnets but I know the William Shakespeare was pretty famous for writing some. And if you are going to recite a love quote by Shakespeare to a girl who likes literature then maybe knowing that there are such things as sonnets could help. Just a little.
'No it's just a quote".
And.So.It.Goes.
I let him recite the sonnet, and I said 'that's pretty cool' once he was done breaking Shakespeare professors heart all around me. After he was done reciting the sonnet he looked at me as if he deserved a pat on the back. I wanted to ask him to apologize to Shakespeare immediately for butchering the sonnet and for not realizing that it was one.
I mean maybe the love passage he was quoting wasn't a sonnet, maybe it was. But to not even know baffles me. To memorize the quote, recite it to a complete stranger, and then expect some form of 'that was really beautiful" is ridiculous. Especially when you don't know what a sonnet is. Though he claims to be an expert.
Boys are troubling. Very troubling.
2 comments:
That is one of the most thinly veiled attempts at flirting--excuse me miss, would you mind listening to me recite a love poem to you? This guy is head over heels ;-) Sonnet, or no.
I don't think anyone has ever been head over heels for me. It's both intriguing and exhausting. If it were anyone but him I would have totally gone for it.
Why can't sufjan stevens flirt with me using sonnets and other romantic poetry. Oh, life.
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