Cataloguing medical journals, I notice that certain words swim into focus with sharper clarity: fanconi, narcolepsy, nemotodes. My knowledge of science equals my math skills, but I am curiouser and curiouser. Spelunking through articles, my concentration falters when my little brain recognizes a word and says "Aren't I smart? I could have been a scientist!"
It would be much easier to read if these words would sit still. How can I comprehend something new when what I know that I know is so loud? Slight of hand is simple in these circumstances: instead of "look over here" these words shout "look at me! look at me!" They are not tugging at my sleeve in sweet demand of attention, but blocking my ability to comprehend by shoving memories of themselves into focus: Libby, Uncle Van, and devastated potato fields.
I guess I'm not reading these for the articles...
Posted by Ida at September 16, 2002 10:31 AM