I started reading The Tale of Genji during the pandemic, figuring I might as well improve my mind during lockdown. Itâs considered the oldest novel on record, possibly the first one ever written. Early in the book, thereâs an incident where the main character has a crush on a girl, so he tries to sneak into her familyâs property to get close to her, and along the way he runs into this ancient old grandma who canât half see and who mistakes him for one of her grandkids. So sheâs standing there going on and on about her digestive difficulties and whatever, and he canât speak up because if she hears his voice sheâll know heâs not who she thinks he is, so heâs just having to stand there and nod and hope sheâll go away soon. And Iâm reading all this and thinking that with a couple of adjustments this could be a modern day sitcom, and it made me happy to think that a thousand years ago someone was laughing at the same sort of stuff we laugh at today.