a psychologist, with somewhat of a specialty in neuropsych. I was talking to him about the impressionists - specifically Monet, who is probably my favorite artist. He talked about a theory he'd heard - that Monet was actually nearsighted, and that he developed his distinctive style because that was how he saw the world.

That was the extent of his appreciation of Monet - stunning talent and esthetics reduced to a minor physical handicap.

This was an intelligent man - a graduate from an APA-accredited program in clinical psychology. An educated man.

When I was in high school, I worked for a time in a law office - my best friend's father was a senior partner. He was, at the time, probably the most prominent criminal defense attorney in the state. I was driving him somewhere one day (I can't remember why) when a story came on the news about the inventor of the stereo (there's actually more than one, and I can't remember what or who, but it's not important). He derided the invention, demonstrating how he could change the setting on his car stereo without a great deal of sound quality loss. I tried to explain how stereophonic sound adds dimensionality, and mentioned how it was related to other technologies. He was very dismissive, mocking the audiophiles who spent such ridiculous amounts of money on their equipment.

When I was a churchgoing kid, I remember my Sunday school teacher once brought in one of those pictures of Jesus - you know, the one that looks like black and white triangles, and you have to cross your eyes a little before the gestalt suddenly emerges.

Some kids never saw the face. Some people just aren't wired that way.

Sorry - don't know what else to say.