Civic Literacy

San Francisco instituted a law stating that all city residents had to write a two-page paper and read it aloud in front of an audience once a year. (I love this idea! I'm calling Gavin Newsom!)

Anyway, I wrote my essay and handed it in to a nearby bookstore. They told me I could put the paper in a corner in one of two piles--either anonymous or non-anonymous. I chose anonymous. Apparently this bookstore was waiving the reading requirement. I was thrilled, as the idea reading in front of strangers had been causing me great distress.

Just as I was leaving, having completed my civic duty, a group of about eight grey-haired ladies touting spiral-bound notebooks came in and started their writing group.