Library....

Library...

I was giving one of the kids at work a hard time this afternoon, owing to my inability to relate to people on any normal, meaningful way.

He was happy because Tennessee won their game last night against Mississippi State.

"Game," I said. "What game?"

"THE GAME," he said. It is comforting to know that I am possibly the dullest man in history, in somebody's eyes.

"What THE Game?"

"Tennessee played Mississippi State."

"In what?"

"Football." Except, when the kid said it, it had something like 14 f's, each of them emphasizing exasperation.

"I wasn't aware Tennessee had a football team..."

What followed was a gory description of why Tennessee has been the pits this year, complete with a diatibe against "Fat Phil." As an aside...I appreciate irritation at a coach...Dusty Baker was Enemy Numero Uno for years, at Casa de Big Stupid Tommy. But to watch Vol fans abandon ship like they do when the pickings are thin? It's laughable to this Cubs fan...U.T. took a National Championship 10 years back...My grandparents weren't alive when the Cubs last won....but I digress.

The conversation wandered toward the fact that next week Tennessee plays Alabama. Upon learning this fact, I launched into the old joke about the tragedy at the University of Alabama...

"What tragedy?" he asked.

"The University of Alabama library burned down...."

"Really?"

"Yep. All three books were destroyed."

He stares at me.

"The last one wasn't colored in yet."

He nods slowly. I leave, satisfied that he's gotten the joke, even if he doesn't think it's that funny.

Before I get all the way out of the door, he asks:

"Did anybody get hurt?"