ABSTRACT
I once took my family to have lunch with some old friends. The talk around the table flowed noisily as we all caught up with each others’ news. My son, who was seven at the time, had been waiting to make his own contribution. After several unsuccessful attempts, he spotted a brief lull in the conversation. ‘This is the story,’ he began in a clear, confident voice. ‘This is the story of the time I got kicked by a horse.’ Everyone present stopped talking, turned to him, and waited to hear the tale. As he spoke, and held his audience’s attention, I was reminded of The Palm of the Hand:
Nobody, but nobody was paying attention. Her arguments were sound, her ideas compelling, her phrasings striking. But her speech was falling on stony ground. No one was taking any interest. She paused. ‘Once upon a time,’ she said, starting again. Suddenly everyone was quiet, everyone was listening.
