Interesting times

On the way back from the park this morning, a near-neighbour and I watched a stand-off between a bus driver and a car driver. Woodbourne Avenue descends a hill and in that particular part of the road there are always vehicles parked on one side so that there is no room for two vehicles to pass. This morning, a bus had come over the brow of the hill and was coming down the single-track part as a car was driven up. The car driver no doubt thought that has he was on the correct side of the road, it was his ‘right of way' and he refused to give way. The bus driver, understandably, was unwilling to back his bus up over the brow of the hill, so there the two sat. The car driver did eventually back down into a space just twenty yards or so down the hill.

But that's not really my point. My near-neighbour remarked that it made something interesting in his day. I couldn't help but think that if that scene were to be the most interesting thing in his day, he must lead a pretty sterile life. I'm just so glad that I have more than enough to fill my days with interest.

Which reminds me of a question I liked to ask when interviewing job applicants. After finding out (as best one can) about their abilities and suitability for the position, I would ask them to tell me the most interesting or unusual thing they had seen on the way to the interview. It threw most applicants, but it also threw a little light on how well they could think on their feet and how well they might fit into the team.

On the subject of interest, there's always the old Chinese curse: may you live in interesting times.