Women who Read

During my PhD research, I met with a book club who called themselves “Women who Read too Much.” It was a play on a popular self-help book called “Women who Love too Much.” The women in this group knew they were intelligent, and their actions, discussions and readings suggested that how we think about knowledge and what’s worth knowing is often invalidated by those in power.

The woman I spent the most time with is a friend/colleague from VanGroovy whom I think of often. She has created her own communication agency, works for clients whose values are in-line with her own, raised a boy on her own, has her own house in a coveted area of the city, maintains a loving relationship with her mom, took care of her father while he was sick, has close relationships with girlfriends, can dance with the best of them, writes excellent prose–fiction and nonfiction–and drinks good wine while reading books in her backyard. DLF, I recived this one in my mailbox this morning from Sian, another intelligent reading friend, and I thought of you:

One morning the husband returns after several hours of fishing and decides to take a nap.
Although not familiar with the lake, the wife decides to take the boat out.
She motors out a short distance, anchors, and reads her book.
Along comes a Game Warden in his boat.
He pulls up alongside the woman and says, “Good morning, Ma’am.
What are you doing?”
“Reading a book,” she replies, (thinking, Isn’t that obvious?)
“You’re in a Restricted Fishing Area,” he informs her.
“I’m sorry, officer, but I’m not fishing. I’m reading.”
“Yes, but you have all the equipment. For all I know you could start at any moment.
“I’ll have to take you in and write you up.”
“If you do that, I’ll have to charge you with sexual assault,” says the woman.
“But I haven’t even touched you,” says the game warden.
“That’s true, but you have all the equipment.
For all I know you could sta rt at any moment.”
“Have a nice day ma’am,” and he left.

MORAL: Never argue with a woman who reads. It’s likely she can also think.