Y'know I see stories like this, and I see people like Bridget Jones coming a mile away. Which makes for very funny girl comedy, unless Jonesisms are coming out of the mouths of people you respect... (From a scene when Bridget is dining with a bunch of wealthy lawyers and people who studied Economics at Cambridge.)

"It's just" I began, wishing Shazzer were here, "I mean if I voted Tory I'd be a social outcast. It'd be like turning up at Cafe Rouge on a horse with a pack of beagles in tow, or having dinner parties on shiny tables with side plates."
"Rather like this, you mean" he laughed.
"Well, yes" I muttered.
"So who do you vote for then?"
"Labour of course" I hissed "Everybody votes Labour."
"Well I think that patently been proven not to be the case so far," he said. "Why, as a matter of interest?"
"What?"
"Why do you vote Labour?"
"Well," I paused thoughtfully, "because voting Labour stands for being left wing."
"Ah" He seemed to think that this was somehow hugely amusing. Everyone was listening now.
"And socialist" I added.
"Socialist. I see. Socialist meaning...?"
"The workers standing together."
"Well, Blair isn't exactly going to shore up the powers of the unions, is he?" he said. "Look what he's saying about Clause Four."
"Well the Tories are rubbish."
"Rubbish?" he said. "The economy's in better shape now than it's been in for seven years."
"No it's not" I said emphatically. "Anyway, they probably just put it up because there's an election coming."
"Put what up?" he said. "Put the economy up?"
"How does Blair's stand on Europe compare to Major's?" Louise joined in.
"Yar. And why hasn't he matched the Tory promise to increase spending on health year by year in real terms?" said Prince Andrew.
Honestly. Off they went again all showing off to each other. Eventually could stand it no longer.
"The point is you are supposed to vote for the principle of the thing, not the itsy-bitsy detail about this percent or that percent. And it's perfectly obvious that Labour stands for the principle of sharing, kindness, gays, single mothers, and Nelson Mandela as opposed to braying bossy men having affairs with everyone shag-shag-shag left, right and center and going to the Ritz in Paris then telling all the presenters off on the Today program."
There was a cavernous silence around the table.
"Well I think you've got it in a nutshell there" said Mark, laughing and rubbing my knee. "We can't argue with that."

I've had conversations nearly identical with people twice my age. Eventually you just give up trying to argue with such a person. And brace in advance for their accusations of unfair, lucky, financial windfalls, that you should HAVE to share...

posted by Rachel 10/25/2006

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