A Good Read

Yesterday I was invited by a writer friend to the Salon du Livre in Paris. I'd never been to the book fair here, but I have been to similar types of events, and thus was expecting to be handed lots of free stuff from smiling vendors (like what exactly? I don't know - candy bars in the shape of books or glossy literary magazines or something). Instead all I got was this "mini-livre" of my fundamental rights within the European Union, which I flipped through on the way home in the metro.

Hmmm, let's see...right to human dignity (that's the first one)...right to life (i.e., no death penalty or execution)... ban on slavery, torture, and inhuman treatment...freedom of press, freedom of religion...equal rights between women and men...access to health care and education...social security...

You know, on second thought, I guess I'd rather have all those things than a bunch of free junk that I can't use.