Things Noted Here and There

My family and I had a wonderful visit this past weekend with history department and other friends at UNC, Chapel Hill. As I said on Friday, we had to return to Atlanta for a Sunday evening interview with ABC Nightline's Vicki Mabry about the new exhibit of the Martin Luther King Papers at the Atlanta History Center. The interview should air tonight. Just between you and me, however, the funniest part of the interview probably won't be aired. The producer wanted a shot of me sitting at my computer and then getting up to consult a book from my bookshelves. So, we do that and so far, so good. But, then, I pull the book from the shelf – and with it comes out the longest, most elaborate, cobweb you have ever seen in your life. The damned thing hovered momentarily in the air – as networks of accumulated dust will do – and, then, it settled down over and around my head and white sweater. So much for"immaculate house"! There was no ignoring it; there was no disguising it. We all burst into laughter at my predicament. This is a working office, I told them. I can't be bothered with dusting it occasionally!

Finally, many thanks to my colleague, Manan Ahmed, for hisgoodwork at Cliopatria this past weekend.