congeries

О метании Pearls Before Breakfast - история о том, как Joshua Bell, один из самых виртуозных скрипачей, живущих сегодня (а некоторые даже считают - из живших когда бы то ни было) заработал почти $US 33, играя на уникальной скрипке Страдивари в вашингтонской подземке.

"In the three-quarters of an hour that Joshua Bell played, seven people stopped what they were doing to hang around and take in the performance, at least for a minute. Twenty-seven gave money, most of them on the run - for a total of $32 and change. That leaves the 1,070 people who hurried by, oblivious, many only three feet away, few even turning to look. There was never a crowd, not even for a second."

На эту прэлэстную историю навёл

ipain, и он же откопал там ещё более душераздирающую цитату:

But the behavior of one demographic remained absolutely consistent.

Every single time a child walked past, he or she tried to stop and watch.

And every single time, a (bleeeeep!) parent scooted the kid away.

ЗЫ: блип - это, конечно, отменятина.