Have you ever had a moment where you are caught off guard by someone not knowing about something or someone that you thought was pretty much common knowledge?
It certainly doesn't happen every day for me, but when it does it's usually music-related. For example, I once was surprised when someone didn't know what I was talking about when I mentioned the Hallelujah Chorus. Well, first, I mentioned Handel's Messiah and when I got a blank look I said, "You know, the Hallelujah Chorus?" More blank looks followed and I stopped and mentally reminded myself that not everyone has been going to a Messiah sing-along since they were ten years old and not everyone has had a music education. Okay, not a big deal. I was rather confident that if this person had heard the chorus, she would have recognized it from any number of movies and commercials.
But that's not what got me today.
Today, I was talking about books with someone who doesn't read much (she admits it, she says she's a lousy reader and she hated English in school). I said I was reading a Jane Austen novel and she said, "Who?"
I- guh- wha??? WHO??? Who's Jane Austen??? Holy mackerel!
I gaped, stuttered, and finally squeaked, "Pride and Prejudice?"
"Oh, okay. I've heard of that." I almost fainted. I don't expect everyone to have read Jane Austen. I only read my first of her novels within the past year or so (Emma, followed by Pride and Prejudice). But I thought everyone who's ever been in an American school (I can't speak for other countries) has at least HEARD of her!
Wow. I'm still a little mind boggled.
Incidentally, I just began reading Northanger Abbey. I just finished reading Mansfield Park.
And if you're sitting here wondering what the Hallelujah Chorus is and feel too embarrassed to ask, here's a link: LINK