Word: absurdism
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That diaper line is about those moments when you're pondering things, and you look down at the paper and you see something absurd, and even absorbed in your thoughts you still notice it. It's about having the same experiences during the time you're apart, and the imaginary conversations you would have if you were still together. Like, "God, did you see that thing too? I know you would have noticed this, you certainly would have picked up the paper and had a laugh at this...
...have their diplomas withheld? High schools and preparatory schools no doubt face this same difficulty, and one would think the principal—or, in Harvard’s case, the deans—could intercede and waive the requirement on a case-by-case basis. It would be absurd to make, or break, the rules because of an occasional exception...
...occasionally bizarre password retrieval questions. Sign up for an MSN/Hotmail account and you can choose from "Who was your best childhood friend?" "What was your grandfather's occupation?" or "Who is your favorite historical person?" The questions for a Citibank MasterCard account are even odder, bordering on the absurd: "Who was your archrival growing up?" "If you needed a new first name, what would it be?" and "If you could control your height, how tall would you be?" Even if a person can answer those questions, there's no guarantee the answer will be the same the next time around...
This mix of emotions, the intricate tightrope walk between comedy and tragedy--Ayckbourn's greatest feat, really--may be why his work has got short shrift in America. Early in his career, after such West End (and occasional Broadway) successes as Absurd Person Singular, Ayckbourn was labeled, patronizingly, the "British Neil Simon." But as his plays have grown darker and more complex, Broadway has largely abandoned him. Although Communicating Doors, one of his lesser comedies, had a successful run off-Broadway a couple of seasons back and Comic Potential, his latest West End hit, will be produced this fall...
...Which, by the way, is not only absurd but also impossible - unless you were going to assume a race of left-handed swordsman. No self-respecting Muslim would carry the Koran in the left hand, which is traditionally reserved for unclean purposes...