The Little Dragon - Discussion Thread

At least it was a sporty biscuit tin...

Another doctor observes that Jeroen  'could drive a biscuit tin'. I'm pretty sure that some of the cars I have driven (mostly back in the 1970's) were biscuit tins. I particularly remember an old beater that was so rusty that you could actually see the pavement beneath your feet. Our family also owned an older Ford pickup truck when I was in high school. After graduation, my best friend and I took it on a two or three day road trip along the Oregon coast.  For anyone who hasn't driven along the West Coast, it tends to be hilly and twisty, needing the application of brakes fairly often.  In order to get that old behemoth to slow down or, heaven help you, stop, I had to literally stand on the brakes.

Constantia and Jeroen visit an outdoor market and one stall has masses of corsets and bras.  'They are so large and there are so many...Whoever buys them?'

'I've never dared to stay long enough to find out but they must do a roaring trade.  As far as I can remember they haven't changed their--er--shape since I was a small boy.'

First of all, I'm impressed that Jeroen has paid attention to such things since he was a small boy...second, I applaud constancy in foundation garments.  As a...ahem...generously endowed person myself, I get very frustrated when my favorite make and style of bra gets changed...or worse yet, discontinued.

Mrs. Dowling's doctor excuses the horrible woman by mentioning that she 'is a private patient and suffers a good deal from nerves.'  'I know just how she feels,' agreed Constantia. Maybe it's because we don't have 'National Health' here in the States, maybe it's because the van der Stevejinck's insurance isn't the kind accepted by society doctor's...for whatever the reason, I've never had a doctor that would excuse bad behaviour to such an extent.

"Nurse, you'll have to excuse Mrs. Dowling, she
suffers from nerves."

The doctor has a small patient with laringeal stridor in the middle of the night.  (Betty Keira has been to the emergency room for just that problem. Croup, croup, croup, says she).

Jeroen's family is 'completely incurious' about the circumstances of his private wedding.  Once again I'm baffled by the lack of familial interest in weddings.  I'm not a supporter of huge, expensive wedding pageants (royals excepted), but I would expect my family to be interested...or at least pretend to be.