Tom is almost finished 6th Grade and tomorrow will complete primary school. There have been a number of social events recently and I have often found myself sitting in the main quad waiting for something to start or end. Last night was his farewell and this afternoon is his graduation.

I don't always find someone to talk to on these occasions but yesterday, as I stared at a news site on my phone, a man I didn't know sat down next to me. Our brief encounter went thusly.

Him: You must have something interesting there.
Me: Yes, I'm looking at the returns from Alabama.

(Silence)

Me: Oh, er, the special Senate election results.

(Silence)

Him: That's in the US?
Me: Yes.

(Silence)

This probably reflects poorly on me, though I'm wondering just what sort of geek this gentleman thought he had sat down next to. I hasten to add that I rarely look at my phone in public but was drawn by the rolling coverage and the potential closeness of the contest. Politics is a funny thing, ne?

Tom's formal went really well and was unencumbered by obscure American electoral statistics.