Subway Conversation

Posted by Martin R on September 14, 2007
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From Tor yesterday (and I translate):

A short while ago I sat down in the subway beside a sixtyish lady, opened my backpack and got out a book titled From Frege to Gödel. A conversation ensued.

“Oh my, that’s a thick book! Is it maths?”

(Tor sighs silently and pulls out his ear plugs.)

“Yes, mathematical logic.”

“It’s like a brick!”

“Yeah, but you don’t have to read it from cover to cover, it’s an antholo…”

“Have you read Wittgenstein’s Taractus?”

“The Tractatus? Well, bits and…”

“When I am on the operating table, under the influence of hallucinogenic drugs, Bertrand Russell keeps me company.”

But by then we were already in the Old Town, where the friendly lady was getting off.

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Comments

  1. #1 Felicia Gilljam
    September 14, 2007

    Wow, she gets Bertrand Russell as her guardian angel? Awesome!

  2. #2 Martin R
    September 14, 2007

    I wonder if he appears to her in visions or if she simply reads his books while stoned, waiting for surgery.

  3. #3 mary
    September 17, 2007

    what a shame not to have been able to persue that conversation. old people can teach you a lot if you take the earphones off.

  4. #4 Savon
    September 17, 2007

    Hi Mary,
    I can tell a story, I was about 17 years old and I became very ill. I got twisted guts and when they took me to hospital my heart stopped beating. I died, my father was with me so he told what happened in the hospital, they gave me heartmassage…and worked hard to bring me back.

    But I sank down in a soft groove, and came to an opening, a black tunnel, I was so happy, this velvety feeling…And there I met a boy of my age. He took my hand, looked seriously at me and said that he had waited for me to come…but it was too early I had to return…
    I woke up.
    After some years I dared to think of that guy, I know I had seen him before…
    I was thinking…
    And then I saw a picture of him…
    I recognised him immidiately…

    It was Einstein!!! :-o

  5. #5 Martin R
    September 17, 2007

    Woah, far out

  6. #6 chenrae
    September 20, 2007

    You just can’t have a magic moment like this driving around in a car. Unless your concept of time and space shifts and you become the friendly sixtyish woman.