July 13, 2004

The Right Time

Posted by Harry

The tragic aspect of my migration to the US is this. I was born middle-aged, in a country where middle-age was considered something of an achievement. I used to look forward to the time when I’d be able to complain with my peers abut the state of today’s youth, and not be complaining about them. But then, at 22, I moved to a country in which nobody is middle-aged — even old people pretend to be young, until they are so doolally that the game is up. And I only truly settled in this country around the time that my chronological age caught up with my natural inclinations. So here I am, a genuinely middle aged in a culture that doesn’t even recognise, let alone celebrate, the phenomenon.

Here’s a show about what is now regarded as middle-age but used to be old age. I especially recommend it to Ophelia Benson, and invite private emails from anyone, including her, to explain why I particularly recommend it to her. The prize is….

the satisfaction of knowing that you are a CT cognoscentus/a. Sorry.

Posted on July 13, 2004 06:22 PM UTC
Comments

Gha !

Voted most treacherous fold of the year.

Posted by yabonn · July 13, 2004 06:39 PM

Because I’m the oldest person on the planet? That’s it, right? I win, I win!

Posted by Ophelia Benson · July 13, 2004 06:45 PM

“Doolally?”

Posted by Mac Thomason · July 13, 2004 06:49 PM

Doolally=ga-ga.

Posted by Ophelia Benson · July 13, 2004 06:51 PM

Oh, we have to explain it to you. That’s no fun at all.

Posted by Matt Weiner · July 13, 2004 07:02 PM

Not to mention the private email stipulation. So Harry is inviting CT readers to discuss me via private email. An odd new way of doing things.

Perhaps he’s planning a surprise party. Yes, no doubt that’s it.

Posted by Ophelia Benson · July 13, 2004 07:12 PM

No Ophelia, I just felt rude asking you alone to submit. Any idea (no, not because your the oldest person in the world, and no, I won’t give it away in public as it were, and will only tell you if you promise not to…)

Posted by harry · July 13, 2004 07:50 PM

I’ll never submit, never, never!

Oh I see, it’s some sort of quiz or riddle then. Nah, Harry, don’t tell me yet, anyway.

Is the show full of characters named Rosalind and Othello and Perdita and Leontes? That would be funny!

Posted by Ophelia Benson · July 13, 2004 08:04 PM

I asked Ophelia how old she was and she said six.

But I think she was joking.

Posted by Anita Hendersen · July 13, 2004 08:21 PM

I asked Ophelia how old she was and she said six.

But I think she was joking.

Posted by Anita Hendersen · July 13, 2004 08:22 PM

Yeah, well, and in the N&C I posted on my birthday I said I was 175 or some such. I think I was joking then, too.

Posted by Ophelia Benson · July 13, 2004 08:34 PM

So how old are you? I’m 41. 40 used to be considered middle-aged before people started pretending that youth lasted forever.

Anyway, the riddle has nothing to do with your age.

Posted by harry · July 13, 2004 08:58 PM

From the webpage—
“Returning sketch characters include the New Age therapist whose knowledge of his subjects leaves much to be desired – Feng Shui and Reflexology are just two of the disciplines he knows nothing about.”

Hence OB would find this very entertaining.

Posted by Chris Martin · July 13, 2004 10:51 PM

Well I thought of that, but it seemed too obvious for all this mystification and oaths not to tell the answer and so on, so I gave up that idea.

My new theory is that someone in the series quotes the Alexander Pope line about breaking a b_______y on a w___l. But I don’t plan to listen to the series to find out. (Not to mention the fact that that doesn’t seem all that likely, for a Radio 4 comedy serial.)

Posted by Ophelia Benson · July 13, 2004 10:58 PM

Nope. But if you’re very sharp the clue is on the webpage I pointed to — listening won’t help. If anyone gives it away on this page I’ll delete the comment.

Posted by harry · July 13, 2004 11:10 PM

The scales have fallen from my eyes - thanks to a large and helpful clue which reminded me of a previous conversation here. I’ll have to listen now.

Posted by Ophelia Benson · July 15, 2004 01:40 AM
Followups

This discussion has been closed. Thanks to everyone who contributed.