Overheard

I used to live a few blocks away from a fantastic Japanese noodle restaurant called Fujiyama, and the last time I was there I overheard a bemusing conversation between two British ladies with matching gray bobs. "...yes, she acts on stage in New York, yes, New York!" "Well, my online name is Laura London...because my cat's name was Laura, and I live in London." "Did you see, the BBC had a wonderful series on a few nights ago, all about Islam, yes, fascinating, and all the more so because I have this friend who is a professor, you see, who knows all about those things, you know..." I was tempted to lean over and exasperatedly interject, "YES. I know," but I luckily remembered that I wasn't supposed to be evesdropping. I took a sip of wine, looked down at my noodles, and ate a chili.

The reason I mention this now is that the BBC is now showing a new documentary that everyone should watch. Iran and the West is a 3-part series that includes interviews with former Presidents Jimmy Carter, Rafsanjani, and Khatami. Should be interesting. Fascinating, even...all the more so because you have this friend who, you see, knows all about these things, you know...