Getting Rand-y

My 16-year-old nephew is here with us in the Midwest for a few weeks. He will be doing an internship at my husband's publishing company. Better him than me, I always say.

Nephew is on the Speech and Debate team at his high school. Spouse was Chairman of his debating society back at Yale. This gives them lots to talk about,which is to say they are both capable of turning any conversation into a debate. DIH is trying to look upon this as an educational opportunity, but she is not sure how long her patience will hold out.

By way of making Nephew welcome I hung blinds in the guest room and arranged a number of social events. I'm a good aunt, really.

By way of making Nephew welcome, Spouse presented him with a copy of, you guessed it, "Atlas Shrugged." Which he has devoured.

Now don't get me wrong. There's nothing like a little Ayn Rand to get the day off to a rolicking start. "Aunt Sue, do you think Ayn Rand hated lawyers? Aunt Lee is a lawyer. But she would have liked her, I think. Or maybe not. Do you think the federal government is essentially a bunch of looters? Or do you think they serve enough of a real purpose to escape the category? Do you get the Wall Street Journal online? Are there any Cocoa Krispies?"

I suppose 16 is about the right age to be reading Ayn Rand and taking her too seriously. Like I said, I'm a good aunt and I'm determined to be patient. But I think Emily Post left something out of the chapter on Being a Good Host ( Guest, for that
matter). Like, "lay off the Ayn Rand, it annoys people."