True story (I swear!): Years ago while working on my master’s degree in math, I rented a room from a guy about my age who was defraying the cost of his mortgage by renting a couple of the spare rooms. The other renter was from Africa. He spoke excellent English and had a vocabulary almost as large as mine. In fact, the African and I could easily talk above our landlord’s head, which used to exasperate him and amuse us. “I believe I shall indulge my peripatetic predelictions with a postprandial perambulation.” Yes, geeky and pompous, all at once. Our landlord would fleer at us and demand that we cut it out.
He was a journalism major. He could have been president (and better than the one we have).
Bronze Dogsays
True story (I swear!): Years ago while working on my master’s degree in math, I rented a room from a guy about my age who was defraying the cost of his mortgage by renting a couple of the spare rooms. The other renter was from Africa. He spoke excellent English and had a vocabulary almost as large as mine. In fact, the African and I could easily talk above our landlord’s head, which used to exasperate him and amuse us. “I believe I shall indulge my peripatetic predelictions with a postprandial perambulation.” Yes, geeky and pompous, all at once. Our landlord would fleer at us and demand that we cut it out.
He was a journalism major. He could have been president (and better than the one we have).
interrobang says
Aw, PZ, everyone knows that security through obscurity doesn’t work…
Ithika says
What about security through obscurantism?
Ithika says
Diesel Sweeties, currently exhibiting both Pirates and Squid: Tronjanimals
Zeno says
True story (I swear!): Years ago while working on my master’s degree in math, I rented a room from a guy about my age who was defraying the cost of his mortgage by renting a couple of the spare rooms. The other renter was from Africa. He spoke excellent English and had a vocabulary almost as large as mine. In fact, the African and I could easily talk above our landlord’s head, which used to exasperate him and amuse us. “I believe I shall indulge my peripatetic predelictions with a postprandial perambulation.” Yes, geeky and pompous, all at once. Our landlord would fleer at us and demand that we cut it out.
He was a journalism major. He could have been president (and better than the one we have).
Bronze Dog says
Somehow fits with this one crazy guy I’ve just heard about.
Paul S says
That’s beautiful.