Monday, 4 March 2013
Dan Rhodes - "Hobbies" (Anthropology)
Anthropology was remarkable, in that it had an immensely dry wit and a jokey structure (101 stories of 101 words each) that actually retained an emotional center. Some of them are quite cutting.
"Hobbies":
My girlfriend had been unemployed for ages, so I was delighted when she finally applied for a job. She filled in the form in her best handwriting, but got stuck when they asked her to list all her hobbies. "I've put smoking," she said, "but I can't think of anything else." I racked my brains, but couldn't think of anything either.
"Well," I said eventually, "I suppose you could put sex. You enjoy making love to me, don't you?"
"No," she said, chewing her pen. "Not anymore. I'll put hiking. It's not as if they're going to check up on me."