MANO A WOMANO, PART TWO
The 2nd part
in an Arc Marboreal Series
By Jaremy Tyson
“Hi, Angie. It’s me again.”
“Look – “
“I know what you’re going to say.
You’re not sure about me yet, and you don’t think it’s a good
idea to get involved with total strangers. But I have to say
I’m not asking us to “get involved”! You know? I just
find you fascinating…your steely but warm blue eyes, your lightfooted
rhythm when you walk, and that long luxurious beige hair blowing
in the breeze. God, that sounds corny.”
“Um…Bill, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Yeah…I wasn’t going to say that.
I was going to say you need some help, because I told you my
name’s Carla. You should probably also know I am 5’ 3” and weigh
214 lbs., and my hair is bright red like some kind of goddam
fire engine. So if it’s not too much trouble I’d rather you
left me alone.”
Well, I have to admit that Angie’s
evasions were beginning to grate on me at this point. 214, indeed!
At most I would say she weighed 127. Her exaggerations bordered
on false modesty. And there was the name issue. But I resign
myself that there will always be some personality flaws; I’ve
never been the kind of Petrarchan lover that puts his woman
on a superhuman pedestal, invincible as a goddess but as thin
as a sheet. It is much better when we can love them faults and
all.
I explained all of these things in
my clumsy little way, and made a date with Angie for the following
Tuesday. As I prepared to give her directions to the rendezvous
point – an Irish bar called Old Tip’s – I heard the familiar
click and hum. Silly me, I thought: of course she knows where
it is.
At that time, it was necessary for me to pick up my great-grandchildren
and walk them home from daycare. These young boys (twins)
have been a constant source of delight these last few years.
Like having a whole new lease on life.
A conceptual framework in which the above
materials could be construed as Worth Reading, though there
really isn’t a great deal of Action or Reflection in them:
Now: if you followed my advice in
Part One of this series, you’re not busy finding fault with
the Nabokovian situation revealed toward the end of this piece.
This is hopefully underscored by the adept inclusion of the
term great-grandfather, which makes it clear that we
haven’t got an Irons/Mason good-looking professor on our hands
but a genuine relic, a guy who we’re concerned might not make
the walking trip back from the daycare center.
The very fact that Tyson’s piece
seems to be piddling around in circles is undoubtedly one of
its strong points. Among us are the first generation of writers
to be firmly convinced that they’re not going to change the
world, and if they did it would probably be unfortunate since
the world is in pretty Good, Peaceful shape right now.
If you dare join us for parts three
and four, the payoff should be well worth it.
