Hemingway

I was out for coffee tonight with a student and a friend who also works at the school. My friend is not American, but he has VERY good English and is probably more well read than I am. The same goes for the student - not a native English speaker, but he is CONSTANTLY reading, and in January he'll be taking the Literature SAT 2.

Anyways, our conversation somehow suddenly turned to Hemingway earlier. I don't really remember what led up to it, but it probably doesn't matter. What is important is that I learned that while my friend is very well read, he is not very good at remembering book titles, as you shall soon see...

Student: HEMINGWAY!
Friend: Yeah, I like Hemingway. I've read some of his stuff.
Student: Like what?
Friend: I liked An Old Man in The Sea.
Me: Do you mean The Old Man and The Sea?
Friend: Yeah, that one.
Student: I didn't read that one yet.
Friend: The only other one I've read by him is Goodbye My Left Arm.
Me: Goodbye My Left Arm?
Student: Um... I don't think I know that one...?
Friend: Oh, it's something about goodbyes and arms and um.... I think there was a war and his arm got cut off or something...
Student: A Farewell to Arms?
Friend: Yes, THAT'S the one!
Me: GOODBYE MY LEFT ARM!!!!!!!