Meaty

Today's entry comes from a reader who calls himself Happy Phantom. Upon reading about my conversation with Susan about sweet potatoes (http://stupidcolleague.blogspot.com/2006/07/hot-potatoes_23.html), Mr Phantom was inspired to tell me about a near-Susan experience he had whilst he and his brother were talking to a pub landlord. Yes I know this story can be found as a comment on the above story but it deserves an audience. This specimen has that great hallmark of Susan-ness (would it be Susan-ness, I tried to think of an appropriate word but the only other one I could come up with was Susansarandon)- that confident belief in the obviously wrong.

"Landlord: Do you know what the biggest carnivore in the world is?

My brother: (thinks) Er... Killer Whale?

Landlord: I said biggest land carnivore.

My Brother: No, you didn't. But... Polar bear?

Landlord: No, they're not true carnivores. They eat... lichen, and stuff.

My Brother: (beginning to suspect something is wrong) Uhm, ok... You tell me, then.

Landlord: (triumphant) It's a badger.

My Brother: .....

Turns out, it was the right answer, but to the wrong question. He'd once been quizzed upon the largest carnivore native to the British Isles."