I realize that this is mostly neither here nor there and unrelated to any of our actual books, but I thought I'd share. I've started reading Kazuo Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day, which is told in first person by the aging butler, and I needed to share that I have found my literary twin.
He continually is going off track by giving additional back story, so that we'll understand the question at hand more fully, and he spends three full pages worrying about whether it is part of his professional duty to "banter" with his new American boss, and, when he finally decides to give it a go, his comment is so oblique, it's not understood:
"More like swallows than crows, I would have said, sir. From the migratory aspect." And I followed this with a suitably modest smile to indicate without ambiguity that I had made a witticism, since I did not wish Mr Farraday to restrain any spontaneous mirth he felt out of a misplaced respectfulness.
Mr Farraday, however, simply looked up at me and said: "I beg your pardon, Stevvens?"
Only then did it occur to me that, of course, my witticism would not be easily appreciated by someone who was not aware that it was gypsies who had passed by. I could not see, then, how I might press on with this bantering; in fact, I decided it best to call a halt to the matter and, pretending to remember something I had urgently to attend to, excused myself, leaving my employer looking rather bemused. (16-17)
Venturing out a little and, seeing the mission fail, aborts it, and walks out in stiff dignity. I'm quite amused. Who are your literary others?
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2 comments:
I can't say myself. I've never run across myself in story. I'll have to think on that.
That was hilarious, by the way, made me smile.
Don't abort, darling. Keep trying. Mistakes are just part of life.
That is so you, Sarah. Except for the fact that he's a male. I always laugh at your jokes, though. : )
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