the subtle knot

September 29, 2009

Big shoes.

One of my colleagues (and how wonderful that I can say that!) told me, this afternoon, that the office I’m in used to be the one Ralph Ellison used in the late 1950s, when he was at Bard (teaching, apparently, literature of America and Russia).

We had a cocktail party for faculty and staff this evening – which was lovely in and of itself – but I mentioned to someone there the history of my office.

“Well!” that person said. “Big shoes to fill, eh?”

And I’ve thought about that.

And I think I’ll just go barefoot, if you don’t mind.

p.s. As soon as my conversation with said kind colleague – whom, as all, I’m pleased to call “colleague” – finished, I studied my bookshelves. Happy days: Invisible Man is there.

September 28, 2009

HRH Boots in state.

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September 27, 2009

A scene.

Dramatis personae:
A bored shop clerk (BSC)
A mildly amused customer (MAC)

Scene: The till, in a store.

BSC: Can I see your driver’s license, please?
MAC reaches into bag, extricates wallet, pulls license from wallet, hands it to BSC.
BSC, examining license: Hmm. That’s funny.
MAC: What’s funny?
BSC reaches into his pants pocket, extricates wallet, pulls license from wallet, hands it to MAC.
BSC: See?
MAC: Wow, weird.
BSC, putting license in wallet in pants pocket, as MAC does similar: I’ve seen lots of people who have the same birthday, who, like, were born on the same date, but no one who was born in the [lowers voice] exact. Same. Year.
MAC: Weird. Like I said.
BSC: So, how are you planning to celebrate this year?
MAC, awkwardly: Hiding somewhere.
BSC, nodding knowingly: Yeah, I’m not looking forward to it, either.
BSC bags items for which MAC has paid.
BSC: But think of it this way.
MAC: Which?
BSC: At least it’ll be another ten years until we’re forty.
MAC: True. Thanks for that.
BSC: You have a good day.
MAC: Will do.
MAC exits. Lights fade.