I love overhearing people’s conversations that take place in public. The following overheard conversation is about as close to verbatim as can be. I just typed this out as two older women are sitting at the table next to me at my local coffee shop:
Older Woman #1: “This last weekend my granddaughter and I watched a movie about a guy named Napoleon.”
Older Woman #2: “Oh, I do like documentaries. Sometimes I watch them on the public television station. I haven’t seen any movies about Napoleon Bonaparte. Was this one any good?”
Older Woman #1: “I don’t think it was a very realistic documentary. This Napoleon Bonaparte lived in North Dakota.”
Older Woman #2: “I’m pretty sure Napoleon Bonaparte lived in France. I’m interested if the reason he invaded other countries was because he was overcompensating for being really short.”
Older Woman #1: “I think this Napoleon Bonaparte was really tall and had lots of red hair.”
Older Woman #2: “That doesn’t sound like Napoleon Bonaparte to me, but what do I know. The movie must have at least talked about the relationship of Napoleon and Josephine?”
Older Woman #1: “I don’t really remember anyone named Josephine. I just think the movie was about the relationship of Napoleon Bonaparte and some guy named Pedro.”
Older Woman #2: “Napoleon and a guy named Pedro? That’s funny, I don’t think Napoleon Bonaparte was a homosexual. I thought he was married to a woman named Josephine. What kind of trash is your granddaughter making you watch? Did she stop going to church?”
Older Woman #1: “I don’t think this movie was about homosexual people, but it had something to do with explosives.”
Older Woman #2: “Explosives? You need to make sure your granddaughter goes to church!”