“The opinion piece in the Herald about parent interviews reminded me of a beautiful piece regarding an interview,” writes Ken Pares of Forster. “This particular boy had a serious problem in never handing in his homework. The teacher suggested a little bribery might help by offering him $2 if he did his homework. Still no homework came, which frustrated the teacher, but then suddenly, after a month or so, homework started to be handed in every time. The teacher caught up with the father (at the local) to find out what had changed. The father said it was simple really, all they did was tell him that every time he didn’t do his homework they would give his sister $2.”
Jo Rainbow of Orange notes that “Elle Macpherson sees a holistic dentist,” and asks: “Aren’t all dentists hole-istic?”
“I remember a performance of Death of a Salesman (C8) when an audience member stood and took a photo, the flash obviously disrupting the cast,” recounts Michael Fischer of Coogee. “Warren Mitchell halted his lines and ordered the patron out of the theatre. He then calmly cued the cast back into their lines. A standing ovation followed.”
Wendy Illingworth of Kiama has put forward her nomination for Column 8 Word of the Year (C8). “Our family’s phrase for anything quirky, humorous or witty that we see or hear: ‘That’s columnatable’.”
“May I suggest that some overindulgent contributors are committing the cardinal sin of columnuttony?” adds John Flint of St Leonards.
“I notice that ‘underdog’ teal candidate for Pittwater, Jacqui Scruby, once worked with MP Sophie Scamps,” says Dave Lloyd of Thornleigh. “Dare I suggest they worked for that law firm to the rich and famous, Scruby & Scamps?”
Sorry, Susan Bradley (C8), but we’re curious about this one. John Staton of Kingsgrove recalls that one could gain free admission to the Gosford Reptile Park in the 1960s for the price of a “freshly collected” funnel web spider or a blue-ringed octopus. “I got in twice! What a great deal to be able to view all those venomous snakes from behind the safety of glass.”
“My wife bought me east and west-marked socks (C8) as a souvenir from Greenwich Observatory,” says Michael Wise of Hunters Hill. “With the east one on my right foot I can only walk north and have to exchange with the west one to enable the return journey.”
Column8@smh.com.au
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