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The Three Beanbag Theory of Keeping Your Soul

Well, the floating across Lake Michigan wasn't as pleasant as it could have been. The boat got caught in storms both ways, and I rediscovered why 'sea legs' are something I've never developed. Fortunately I get motion sickness, but my stomach is highly resistant to actually losing its lunch, so I just had four hours of feeling ill each way.

I left my friend at his conference, a fairly hefty conference of virologists. While he was registering, I listened in on three of his fellows having a riotous time:

"Well, I've been immunised, so that shouldn't be a problem..."

"Oh, you must have one of those new root viruses"[1]

(Laughter all around.)

Yes, it was virologist humour. And right then it hit me: within months I would be in my own little academic world, with our own strange in-jokes, the punchlines to which might be things like, "Well, don't do that, you'll be subject to promissary estoppel," jokes that are humourous to lawyers but just silly to ordinary people.

I don't want to let that happen to me. My friend, always helpful, suggested I buy three beanbags, and throw one at anyone who made such a wisecrack in my presence. And obviously, allowing them to throw one at me if I should ever succumb.

Now where can I buy three beanbags on e-bay?

[1] Apologies if the joke has been mistranscribed, I really didn't know what these guys were on about.

Posted by Anthony on July 27, 2003 1:54 PM |

Comments

I think you should embrace this. I want ten jokes, all with the punchline "Well, don't do that, you'll be subject to promissary estoppel," Then you'd have enough for an entire series of that new lawschool sitcom. You know, the one about the rightwing law student in New York who doesn't get an apartment and so has to share a flat with a communist vegan bankrobber.

Posted by: martin | July 28, 2003 11:38 AM

Sadly, I agree with you that it might only take ten jokes to turn that into a standard American sitcom. Tell you what--I'll put my mind to it when I've finished my contracts book.

Posted by: Anthony Rickey | July 28, 2003 11:44 AM

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