4 April 2012 / leggypeggy

I knew it—it’s genetic

From left, Poor John, Charlotte (relative by marriage), David and Margaret, who is a not related to the Brights.

If you’ve followed this blog for a while, you’ll know that Poor John walks along with his hands behind his back. Here’s just a bit of evidence.

There was a lot of joking and ribbing about this on the trip from London to Sydney. Norm finally decided that the stance actually helped to propel a person up a hill.

But I know better. The stance has nothing to do with physics or propulsion. It has to do with genetics. It runs in the Poor John family.

You doubt me?

Here are two pictures of Poor John with his brother, David. In the first one, at the top right, they both have their hands clasped behind their backs.

In the second pic, here on the left, Poor John is carrying a wicker shopping basket so can’t fold his hands behind his back, but empty-handed David can!

Our children have it too.

Daniel and Libby, one of our daughters, travelled to Turkey, Lebanon and Norway earlier this year. Libby did a little travel blog and even posted a picture of herself—in Byblos—using the folded-hand stance.

The condition is not only genetic—it’s also catching.

In the pic below is our friend, Kate, following Poor John out to the lighthouse by the junction of the Indian and Great Southern Oceans. She has quickly succumbed to his folded-hand stance. Oh people, be careful or Poor John will take over the earth.