Yesterday, as I sat upon the bus...

A gentleman eyed the book I was reading and asked me if I had an English exam coming up. I said no, so he asked why I was reading the book (1) when I didn't have to, and I replied that I liked Jane Austen. Then he said that he'd always found Middle English and the Medieval period difficult to read. I said the book was written in the early 19th century. He said "Oh" and ceased to converse thereafter.


(1) Penguin Classics have this sober design of a period picture over a narrow white strip and a wide black strip, with very formal san serif fonts. It looks very dignified is all I'm saying.