I received an email from Daniel Arthur Laprès, Lawyer, Paris, France alerting me to an article regarding book burning. It wasn’t a topic I am accustomed to hear and it instantly inspired a native aversion. Upon regarding the article it is apparent that the re-writing of our past is underway whether literally or notionally.
It would be inconceivable to exceed the euphoria of this day! Brilliance and balminess don’t begin to capture the unparalleled rhapsody! Though I admit it was with a measure of reluctance that I folded my limp self off the edge of the bed this morning onto the floor, straightened upright and began the day, once I got the parts moving my level of gusto increased commensurately. I immediately showered, “abluted” and dressed. Things were in the making!
The COVID pandemic has effectively impounded us in a glass cage whence we see everything as it was before the alerts began but from which we seemingly hear no improvement whatsoever. Indeed there is a prospect of heightened infection from the latest “variant”. Meanwhile we’re confined within a glass cage unable to dilute or dilate our personal reflections, ambitions and erstwhile traditions.
The conflict between Protestant and Catholic is a parade of falsehoods grounded upon wildly inexplicable causes and fabrications. Seemingly a man (or woman) was able to preserve himself (or herself) from the gallows by mere token utterance of fidelity for which naturally there was no proof whatsoever. The end game was to convince either the people of England, the King or the Pope of Rome that you swayed this way or that. Where necessary for perceived maximum benefit both sides were played contemporaneously by yet further imaginary logic. In short it was all a subterfuge designed for control of Parliament and the public coffers. The British blatantly confirmed that in the event of conflict, neither side was prepared to move and both were prepared to suffer the consequences of appearances at whatever cost.
There is movement. Certainly there is. Yes, on the whole I would say that the hustle and bustle relate to a predominantly pleasant state of affairs. But whatever activity there is, it doesn’t achieve the intended goal at this time of year; namely, to leave. Or at least to prepare to leave. To start packing for Florida.
In an era fraught with suspicion surrounding critical functions of society like financing, banking and government, it is an initial surprise to discover something of seeming impermeable value and of historic origin. The margin of human ingenuity has mostly been challenged unforgivably and as equally constrained. What, you ask, might possibly erase that boundary of inventiveness and widen the limit so illustriously?
I have always relished an impromptu rally. I mean, who doesn’t! Unrehearsed and unscripted, the dalliance captures the wayfarer in us all. Though it seldom happens, today’s serendipity clashed with an earlier blueprint. It was a unique occasion on which we were reluctantly obliged to decline the snap invitation. When my erstwhile physician telephoned this morning to initiate the proposal for brunch at his country seat we were at that instant leaving the golf club having only recently breakfasted. My breakfast order – to be perfectly frank – shamefully shows on the caterer’s cash register as the “Chapman” breakfast consisting of three eggs, sliced tomatoes, American cheese, double-bacon, sausages and black coffee. Exhaustion of appetite is but one of several assured predictions of that particular formula! Nonetheless our host was not defeated. In a flash he regrouped and instead invited us for a late morning swim and lounge by the pool. The weather today while not as stifling as it has been in the past several days was however exceedingly pleasant with a hint of autumn in the fresh north wind.
It would constitute flagrant disregard to fail to mention what a magnificent day it was today. Even better it was one of those days when seemingly nothing can go wrong. Every particle of my activity today from the moment I awoke has been coddled by a fresh north wind, blazing yellow sunshine and a beautiful azure sky with fluffy white clouds. What was also remarkable was that I got out of bed before eight o’clock. My sleep routine is not what I’d call a success. Probably because I haven’t a routine. Almost each day in the late afternoon I have one – and often two – cups of strong espresso coffee. Both the diuretic and caffeine components of the roasted beans perform their expected function. Initially I dismiss the collateral damage of this cavalier behaviour on the theory that there are no limitations – the fallacious point of view that habits and procedure no longer count. When however I get the régime right as apparently I did last night, it works very famously – especially on a glorious day such as this!
If you’re at all like me you wouldn’t normally think there is anything peculiar about what you think or say. I mean, we seldom if ever think of ourselves as whacky or deranged. Now don’t get excited, I’m not warming to an incendiary revelation concerning my private rumination (not of course that there’d be any ingredient of popular interest). But what I’m getting at is this: lately I’ve remarked that I get these sudden images of places we’ve been, always pleasant images many of which are “in colour” so they’re full fledged artistic impressions.
If any one of us knew with certainty that we we were related to some of the Kings and Lords of England in the 17th century we’d be ashamed to admit it. The British long ago surpassed any horror of capital punishment which is now current among educated people throughout the globe. Public executions were common; sometimes the gibbet was mounted on the street before the victim’s home. The further disgrace is the utter inadequacy of the legal system both then and now to impose liability for even disgraceful conduct. The passion for vengeful death is all too familiar to this day. Time and again it has proven to be an ill-founded objective and one guaranteed to rebound. Why I wonder are humans the only ones among the animal kingdom to behave so poorly – especially when it is evident time and again that no one of us is spared either the obloquy or the indignity.