This is not only one of the greatest bits of praise I've ever heard for a book, but also an entirely true story:
A man walks in to a restaurant. Shown to a smallish table, backing on to a busy crowd of happy diners, he tucks his napkin into his collar, orders a cheeseburger and fries, and settles into his new book, A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian. The time it takes to arrive flies by, such is his enjoyment of the tome. As is always necessary with this classic junk-food dish, the man tears his eyes briefly from the page to request ketchup from the waiter. Back in the story, he notices its delivery from the corner of his eye. Still reading, he shakes the bottle pre-serving himself - and shakes, and shakes - and begins to be distracted from his literary world by the faint sensation of something falling on his head, his shirt, his table... and as he looks over his shoulder to find the source of this disturbance, over the heads, shirts and table of the group behind him. It's his ketchup. There was no lid on the bottle. Frightened for his dining life in the town, and pausing only to wipe the condiment from the pages of his treasured book, he leaves a hefty tip at the table, and scarpers.
Entirely true, but I'll never reveal my sources (Captain).
Sam the Junior Copywriter
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The horror! A book ... near food! Noooooo ...
Posted by: Mark Thwaite | July 20, 2007 at 05:15 PM
Food should be eaten and basta! Reading at table is like running a marathon in leather-soled Italian loafers......
Posted by: Matthew da Silva | July 24, 2007 at 02:43 PM