The Art of Tetman Callis

Some of the stories and poems may be inappropriate for persons under 16

The Art of Tetman Callis header image 2

How to ensure success, or something

October 12th, 2012 · 3 Comments

“It’s important not to treat children too well–they won’t be able to compete in the real world.  If you want your children to become television producers, for instance, or chief executives, it’s no use filling their little heads with ideas of trust and truth-telling and reliability.  They’ll just end up being somebody’s secretary.” — Edward St. Aubyn, Mother’s Milk

Tags: Lit & Crit

3 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Averil Dean // Oct 12, 2012 at 10:08 am

    My father taught me nothing but trust and truth-telling and reliability. Now I understand my lifetime of underachievement.

  • 2 Tetman Callis // Oct 12, 2012 at 12:45 pm

    My parents unwittingly taught me to aim low and hide my true self behind a screen of dissimulation. I am, all these years later, effectively a secretary. To paraphrase Lou Reed, I give good clerk.

  • 3 Tetman Callis // Oct 13, 2012 at 6:48 am

    My comment makes me uncomfortable, being an overly clever oversimplification, but I’m going to let it remain.

Leave a Comment