I am sure that most of you are familiar with the theory of six degrees of separation. This is the idea that any two people on the planet can be linked through six or less other people.
I love this theory but I just can’t get my head round it. Then I thought that maybe it works for objects better than for people. Let’s pick a few objects at random from the site and see if I can get a connection in less than six steps.
African grey parrot. Just to prove that I have chosen them at random we have started off with a really difficult one. One of my neighbours have a parrot but it is neither grey nor does it have African roots as far as I know. Hmmm. Ah, hold on, when I check it out there are two subspecies and one is the Congo African Grey Parrot. I have a friend from Scotland who is living in the Congo doing voluntary work just now. He almost certainly has contact with Congo African Grey Parrots on a daily basis I would think. A weak start but let’s see what the next one is out the hat.
Boat docks. This one is easier. My Dad used to work on the boat docks on the River Clyde when I was a kid. I would go down and meet him there after his work ended some days and marvel as thousands of workers streamed out when the whistle blew. Now the area is filled with yuppie flats and insurance companies. Ah well….
Thumper massager. I have a friend (Graeme) whose mum is a bit of a hippy. She goes to all sorts of alternative medicine events and through that she met a masseur who now regularly does charity massage sessions in his (my friend’s) work. Does that count as a 3 stepper even without the thumper bit, because I don’t know of anyone who has ever told me that they have one of those? Someone who knows someone who knows someone I know probably does own one but the problem with this game is that it is difficult to tie up the loose ends, just as it is with the people connecting one.
Black sofa. When I stayed in Spain my friend Ian lived with someone called Dougie who feel asleep on his white sofa and burnt it one night after one too many vinos. He then went out and bought a black one to replace it and got a new rug at the same time. I think this is the only black sofa connection I have to be honest.
I am enjoying this new sport but I think that there is probably a better way to do it. Let me think of it and I’ll come back in a few days with my improved ideas.
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