Man Makes Sure To Set Up Laptop In Front Of Bookcase Ahead Of Skype Meeting

WATERFORD self-isolator Derek Smithlan is ‘all set’ for his work-from-home Skype meeting with the rest of his team, having spent the morning making sure that his laptop faces a backdrop that looks like he’s a well-read man with loads of books.

Having felt great shame earlier in the week during a Skype call with his co-workers in which he was the only person in a t-shirt sitting on his bed with a Batman poster behind him, 35-year-old Smithlan decided ‘enough was enough’.

After putting together the Ikea bookcase that has been sitting out in the shed since last May, showering for the first time in a week and actually putting on actual clothes, Smithlan was finally ready for his ‘casual’ video call.

“These are the best books I have in the house, I made sure not to include my tattered copy of Angels & Demons or any of the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo books” said Smithlan, frantically arranging the 30 or so books he owns.

“A few of these are books I got as gifts but never read, and I’ll be honest, a few of them are just books drawn onto the side of Koka noodle packages. But as far as anyone on the end of this call knows, I’m a man who spends his spare time reading books and being intelligent. Okay, let’s dial!”