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Day 225, of the "What are you reading, and why?" project, and a nice young dark-haired man is reading Bowling Alone, by Robert D. Putnam, because a nice young red-haired man found it for him, in Babbitt's, where I work.
The dark-haired man had been in the day before, and saw the book on a stack on the floor in front of the non-fiction New Arrivals shelf, but now it was gone.
"Is it really about bowling?" I asked, sensing that, indeed, it was not.
"No," he said, and explained that it was an important work of sociology. I then explained where he would be likely to find it, but I also advised checking in Miscellaneous Sports, or on the floor in front of that section, just in case!
Which is, indeed, where the red-haired young man found it. Who sweetly, quietly brought it to the front of the store and gave it to the dark-haired young man. Because 1) we are not bowling alone and 2) a sociologist in deed is a sociologist indeed. (And I do hope the red-haired young man, in town applying for a job teaching sociology at the local university, gets that job!!) "It's a classic work in sociology," said this young man, "and you know it when you see it."
5 comments:
Our technological toys seem to have driven a wedge between us. But kids are out there with their beanbags gathering. This is wonderful, just as the rise of the local farmers markets is great. Bill McKibben said that possibly the most important aspect of local markets is that we are immersed in people, each other. Each thing you buy requires interaction with someone. The flip side of the large chain grocery store. It's always a good feeling, the market. Another gathering.
I love the entire concept of the two words "bowling alone." There's a poem in there somewhere...
Ron, so right! That happy gathering in the street, fresh food, friendly people.
DJ, indeed! And isn't the sound of it mournful, "bowling alone"?
I just drafted a little poem called "bowling alone." I will send it to you when I think it is ready to see the world.
Yay!
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