Why doesn't anyone care?

I get this all the time:

"So what do you do?"

"I'm a scientist"

"Wooooowwwww"

(Silence)

"So what EXACTLY do you do?"

"Umm.. I work in a lab that is doing research on DNA replication, and we're trying to investigate the molecular mechanisms that are responsible in deciding how.... "

(here's where i start foaming at the mouth, because I just LOVE to talk about this shit).

"...... cells decide where on the chromosomes will they initiate DNA replication. I mean, so there are some people in the lab that use yeast as a model system ....."

(the poor guy is looking for a way out, but I've got him cornered. He ain't going nowhere till he hears exactly what the heck I've been upto for the last five years. HE asked, right?)

"............ but I work with human cells. Now you're going to say, "Yeast? Why yeast?" You'd be surprised at how much we have in common with regular budding yeast..........."

(by now he's signaling wiiiiildly to someone behind me. In the meantime, I pause for breath and grab a paper towel, napkin, whatever writing surface is available. I start doodling.)

".... now imagine this line here is a long piece of DNA. You know every cell in your body has EXACTLY one copy of each chromosome. I mean, if you think of it, it's really an amazing feat. Are you familiar with nucleotides? Do the alphabets A, T, G and C mean anything to you?"

(he shakes his head "no" still looking furtively behind me, I ignore the chuckling I hear at the back. Philistines!)

"..... well it so happens that all the genetic information that adds up to make you, or me or a tree or a cat or a bug, whatever, is all the result of a series of combinations of these four alphabets. Or rather, chemicals that these alphabets represent. Here, wait, no, let me draw it out for you."

I'm momentarily distracted, I draw some stuff. I look up and he's gone. I mean, that is so rude, isn't it? Just when I was about to show him what base pairing is all about.

Sometimes, I wonder if groups of people place bets to see who lasts the longest?


Now my dad claims he has the better approach:

"So what does your son do?"

"He's a scientist"

"Wooooowwwww"

(Silence)

"So what EXACTLY does your son do?"

"You remember that sheep, Dolly?"

"Oh yes! of course!"

"Well, that."

"Really? But he wasn't even mentioned in the newspaper!??"

"Well, you know how it is, they took all the credit."

"Oh that's terrible. But still, you must be so proud of him."

"Yes, yes. That's more or less what he's doing. He's not really allowed to discuss details and all. Its all confidential and all, you know?"

"Wooooowwwww."

Note to dad: For the umpteenth time. I did not clone Dolly.