my roommate's one of those rare people who did not only NOT read lord of the rings as a child, but didn't watch the last two movies either. usually, people i meet have read it and watched the movie, or did it the other way around, or loved it so much they didn't want to tarnish their mental images with the movie. i'm thinking if you've been in manila for the last two years, the hype would've been enough to pique your interest.

apparently, not my roommate. she's skipped out on the last two movies, i don't know if she has any intention of watching the third, but has somehow managed to plod through the first two, and is now halfway, through the third in the LOTR series.

semestral breaks and being alone in a UP dorm room could do that to you.

but i digress. last week, while she was reading the second book and while i was struggling to stay awake while reading administrative law cases, she faced me and began asking a barrage of questions.

W: rosa, hindi pa kaya sila mabaho?
R: bakit mo naman nasabi?
W: eh diba dito sa book two mga ilang taon na ang nakakaraan simula nung umalis sila?
R: wala pa naman yata.
W: feeling ko mabaho na sila. kasi wala namang sinabi dito na naliligo sila or nagpapalit ng damit.
R: baka naman parang sa sine yan. diba sa sine di na nila pinapakita na naliligo yung mga tao o nagbibihis? parang dapat i-assume mo na lang dahil too much information na yon, di naman kailangan ilagay pa.
W: hindi. sa sine may bahay sila so may pagkukunan sila nang damit. eh mukha naman sa description ni tolkien, maliliit lang ang dala nilang bag. so wala rin silang dalang damit.

i don't know which was sadder. her having to ask me those questions or me actually having a long drawn-out conversation with her on the bathing habits of the LOTR characters.