MANNERS MAKETH MAN

My husband discovered Facebook late in life. In fact he's a relatively recent convert to all things technical, including mobile telephones. He's always maintained that if people wanted to get hold of him badly enough they'd eventually reach him on the house phone. That theory didn't really work because people would try the house phone, and getting no reply would then call my mobile in order to reach him. Johnnie didn't see this as a problem initially. Nor did he appreciate how counter-productive it was for me to have to telephone him at home to relay some deeply complicated message. Not to mention annoying.We reached a vague impasse. I would taunt him with texts and photographs I'd received from our children in an effort to seduce him into joining the 21st Century. Eventually he capitulated and got a Dickensian mobile and learnt how to text. Slowly. Painfully slowly. Our children gently convinced him that a mobile was different from a walkie-talkie and it therefore wasn't necessary to shout to be heard. After a year he upgraded to an iPhone and with remarkable alacrity has embraced the whole "being-on-call-and-available-24/7" ethos. He loves his phone. He has even bought a bright pink rubber sleeve for it.
Facebook is another story. Johnnie wanted to join Facebook in order to self-promote his one-man Noel Coward show, and (with help) has successfully downloaded, linked and alerted friends to upcoming concerts.
However he has never quite grasped the concept of "status update" and normally bypasses direct interaction with his FB friends. Until yesterday. The latest layout doesn't ask one for a status update anymore, instead it poses the question "what's on your mind?" Johnnie assumed this was a question directed specifically to him.. So he replied. Honestly.  "Staggeringly little."
I suddenly noticed a hive of activity on his feed with various acquaintances posting comments. " You're not little," was one. "How tall are you?" asked another.
He replied to each and every one. It made my day. And for the record he's 5.10.