My Quest To Find Funny Little Guys

from The London Review 2023

by KU English Department Abroad

Who Are The London Reviewers

By Jude Patenaude

I took a total of ten trips to museums, from the Science Museum to the National Gallery to the Pitt Rivers. My museum-hating friends asked me what was so compelling about a building full of old objects. Did these items really make me stop and contemplate the meaning of life? For me, the answer is a resounding no. There is only one reason why I love museums: the opportunity to stretch my legs, blast my headphones, and find funny little guys. For me, funny little guys are objects of delight without rhyme or reason. They can only be stumbled upon in the places nowhere else thinks to look. My first funny little guy was at the British Museum, where I discovered a room dedicated to a history of watches. It included a pocket watch in the shape of a skull as well as one in the shape of a dog. For me, this was one of the grandest and silliest thing of all, and I’m baffled that it’s not a main attraction for others. The only thing that topped the watch room was a room full of brooches. One turquoise-stone bird caught my special attention.

I likewise enjoyed wandering the streets and getting “lost” in London. For example, one of my favorite places to walk to was Hyde Park because of all the little delights it had to offer—from green and yellow parakeets to couples chattering in French, there was always something new and wonderful to see. Even in places crammed with buildings, there was always some wonderful adornment to find. For example, I found not one, but two faces sculpted on the sides of walls. I love being able to walk around historic buildings and find that Europeans centuries ago enjoyed small delights. I love wandering and finding things I might have otherwise never appreciated, that perhaps others might have never appreciated. It feels like a secret world that only opens for those who know where to look. It’s a reminder that the world is absurd, and as much as that absurdity brings tragedy into the world, it also brings small pieces of joy. As Waymond Wang said in Everything Everywhere All at Once: “When I choose to see the good side of things, I’m not being naive. It is strategic and necessary. It’s how I learned to survive through everything.” As small as it may seem, this is the philosophy I wanted to bring to London, and I feel that I succeeded. For your enjoyment, here is a brief collection of my favorite funny little guys:

Ode to London

By Jude Patenaude

Every Brit says “Sorry!” to prove that they’re polite, but you might as well be roadkill if you don’t look left and right.

Every Brit is classy in their designer coats and gowns. But put on too much adornments, and they risk looking like a clown.

Every Brit is boisterous, extroverted and fun, but only when they’ve spent the last three hours in a pub.

Every Brit believes that their actors are supreme. But give them a Southern accent and they’re sure to cause a scene.

So, every Brit has flaws in many different ways. But one thing is for certain: They still beat the USA.

Kat is a junior at KU majoring in English and Italian and minoring in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. She is a burgeoning medievalist who hopes to continue her medieval studies at the graduate level and ultimately work as a professor. She enjoys reading, running, and spending time with her cats. Kat’s favorite part of London will always be the medieval exhibits at the Victoria and Albert Museum. In fact, the medieval rooms are the only exhibits Kat has seen at this museum, for she has of yet been unable to pull herself away from the Middle Ages to any other periods.