On: Fred Brooks retires

[lubonay]

I believe the assumption is that any average person would not do that. Reporting that Fred Brooks did that sets him apart from the average person.

[coldtea → lubonay]

Sounds like a wrong assumption both for Fred Brooks, the average person, and people of similar status to Fred.

[kzhahou → coldtea]

You're at work and someone asks you for directions. Do you:

A) Tell them to go down the hall, take elevator, go down, and then they'll find their way.

or B) Say "here, come with me." Excuse yourself for a few minutes from whatever business you were attending to. Walk with person to elevator. Strike up a conversation along the way. Once on ground floor, walk with them a little ways more to make sure they see exactly which street to follow. Then return upstairs to whatever you were doing.

That was point of anecdote.

[coldtea → kzhahou]

Depending on how pressed I am for time, I can (and have) do either.

And not only I'm not unique in that regard, but I can also be totally un-humble/un-helpful (if that's what the anecdote meant to imply) at other times, despite having shown someone around some offices.