Monday 29 March 2010

Strangeness

Hilarious things happen everyday at drama rehearsals, but they’re only funny in a you-had-to-be-there kind of way, or even a you-had-to-be-a-South-Point-student kind of way. But the public pleads for “more ridiculous posts.” (More posts which are ridiculous? Posts which are more ridiculous? Anybody’s guess.) So here’s a story of a few years’ vintage.

There was a guy in our college by the name of Rook, who was very popular among students and teachers alike. We liked him too, though we could see no obvious reason for his popularity: he seemed to possess none of the usual qualities which make people popular in college. For this reason, we called him “the strangely popular boy Rook.”

One day Arjun Sarkar and I saw something strange in college – I forget what.

“Strange,” I said.
“Very strange,” said Arjun Sarkar.
“As strange as the strangely popular boy Rook,” said I.
“As strange as the popularity of the strangely popular boy Rook,” corrected Arjun Sarkar.

I get a kick out of correcting people on pedantic points, and this was a correction I’d have been mighty proud of.

6 comments:

Tommy said...

Reminds me of the n possible interpretations of "pretty little girls school", where n > 10.

Kroswami said...

public pleads.

pleads made by an individual in public?
pleads made by the public?
pleads who like to hang out in groups?
pleads in which the govt enjoys a majority share?
pleads which can be listed on the stock market?

oh the ambiguity

plus "I get a kick out of correcting people on pedantic points"

who would have frikkin guessed!

EvolutioN said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sroyon said...

@Tommy: Your link is almost as strange as the popularity of the strangely popular boy Rook. :)

@Kroswami: Pleads is a verb, you fool. The noun is plea.

@Evo: Thank you for your views, but that is a very cynical explanation, and what's worse, downright untrue. Even if he was spineless (and I have no reason to believe he was), that was not the reason Arjun Sarkar or I liked him. As for being rich, I never even knew he came from a well-to-do family. He was almost ready with a smile, never had an unkind word for anyone (unlike, for instance, you), genuinely helpful, and knew more about mobile phone tariffs than anyone else I've met.

Unfortunately--as I say in the post--these qualities are not among the "usual qualities which make people popular in college." Perhaps that is why you prefer to attribute his popularity to spinelessness and wealthy parents.

If you have more insights about his character that you wish to communicate, I suggest you do so over email. I see no reason to continue to besmirch the poor fellow on a public forum which, to the best of my knowledge, he doesn't even follow. You've already made me regret having written this post.

EvolutioN said...

But of course Sroyon. But of course. Poor boy indeed. :)

Evo

EvolutioN said...

By the way, removed the post. Hope that assuages your anger somewhat. :)

Evo