How We Learn: The Surprising Truth About When, Where, and Why It Happens

by Benedict Carey

assignment: Read the two selections below, four or five times. Spend five minutes on each, then put them aside and carry on with your chores and shirking of same. Both come from a chapter called “Bores” in O’Nolan’s book The Best of Myles: Passage 1: The Man Who Can Pack This monster watches you try to stuff the contents of two wardrobes into an attaché case. You succeed, of course, but have forgotten to put in your golf clubs. You curse grimly but your “friend” is delighted. He knew this would happen. He approaches, offers consolation and advises you to go downstairs and take things easy while he “puts things right.” Some days later, when you unpack your things in Glengariff, you find that he has not only got your golf clubs in but has included your bedroom carpet, the kit of the Gas Company man who has been working in your room, two ornamental vases and a card-table. Everything in view, in fact, except your razor. You have to wire 7 pounds to Cork to get a new leather bag (made of cardboard) to get all this junk home. Passage 2: The Man Who Soles His Own Shoes Quite innocently you complain about the quality of present-day footwear. You wryly exhibit a broken sole. “Must take them in tomorrow,” you say vaguely. The monster is flabbergasted at this passive attitude, has already forced you into an armchair, pulled your shoes off and vanished with them into the scullery. He is back in an incredibly short space of time and restored your property to you announcing that the sho...

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