January, 2003:
reading off the floor

I assume that as a child I was told not to eat off the floor. I don't recall this happening, but it's a good guess. If the opportunity presents itself, I say this to my children as well, though if the floor is clean, and food that's there is too good to waste, I don't think there's anything inherently wrong in picking it up and eating it.

But though eating off the floor may not be a highly advisable activity, I see nothing wrong with reading off the floor. It happens to me all the time. Picking things up and examining them, and all too often pocketing them, is a very common activity of mine.

Our dog is now eight months old, and even though most of the time he's still in the house, we no longer have to paper the floor in order to keep him from messing it up. Not too long ago things were different. My entire collection of not-yet thrown out (and often not-yet reviewed) newspapers became the source of papering the floor. And when I'd walk into our apartment I'd step over and around them in order to get in.

But stepping over and around doesn't mean that I don't glance at what's there, and find things to read. It happens to me all the time, and in countless situations. And invariably, there's something there that interests me.