Sunday, April 09, 2006

A proper education

Atticus and I just finished watching a delightful Masterpiece Theater, "My Family and Other Animals," which is the story of naturalist Gerald Durrell's childhood years. The family lived on a Greek island for several years and during that time, Gerald was allowed to indulge his love for all things wild and living. He kept scorpions in matchboxes, brought home destructive magpies, and generally lived to explore nature.

In the final scene, as they are headed back to England, his mother says to him, "And we'll get you an education."

Gerald looks at her, dumbfounded. "What was it I just had?"

Indeed.

3 comments:

The Bookworm said...

I was so looking forward to watching this when it was on TV here at Christmas ... and I missed it! And forgot to record it :(.

Becky said...

I love his books -- I read them (and his wife's) when I was a child and was fortunate to find just about the entire series at a garage sale several years ago. They make wonderful readalouds for my three nature nuts : )

I didnt' realize there was a PBS (BBC?) production -- we have only two channels out here in the boonies, so will have to ask my parents in the US to tape it for us.

Will have to check and see if Durrell's comment was in the book or if it just made for good tv lol. Either way, it's bang on...

Karen Edmisten said...

Bookworm,
Maybe it will air again? I hope so.

Becky,
I'm interested in his exact quote, too. I have to confess to not having read his books! But they're now on my wanted list.