By now my readers know that I have some very interesting friends. One of them is Karl, a most likable reprobate. Both of us share a passion for good books and keep borrowing from each other. He is somewhat hard of hearing and so, the two of us prefer sending emails to each other, rather than speak over the telephone.
I wished to read a book and as I am wont to, I tried to purchase it. I found the price too high and decided to try and borrow it. The first person that I thought of was Karl and so, here is an exchange of mails that took place between the two of us during the last two days.
On Tue, 21 Oct 2008 I wrote:
“Karl, this is a very expensive book that I would however like to read. If you could possibly borrow it from someone who may have it, or you yourself may have, I should be most obliged.
“I Don’t: A Contrarian History Of Marriage” – by Susan Squire
Regards.
Ramana
Karl replied the same day as follows.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008 5:41 PM.
“Will certainly try. Are you revising your matrimonial commitments????????”
Karl
On Tue, 21 Oct 2008 I wrote:
“You must be joking!”
Ramana
The reply that I got is as follows
“I was – joking. But why do you intend to waste your time? A happy marriage is a separate universe.”
Karl
On Wed, 22 Oct 2008 I wrote:
“Karl, from what I can gather about this book, it is against the institution of marriage! That is why it is called “A contrarian view of marriage”
Ramana
I got this mail just a while ago. Karl at his best.
“Ramana, what I’m trying to get across to you is this; You’ve no reason to consider the point of view against marriage, so why on earth do you want to?
Personally speaking, and despite a hellish experience, I believe that any marriage is better than no marriage at all. That latter bit emits from a character in a very remarkable series of 12 novels – A Dance to the Music of Time, by Anthony Powell.
You must do the Dance, once before you die.”
Do you have such ‘adorable’ friends?
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