Re: New member says hello everyone

Tim O'Connor (tim@roughdraft.org)
Mon, 29 Dec 1997 00:32:24 -0500 

Welcome, Diego!  Let us raise high the roof beam for you!

> (an apology for
> my primitive English seems in order here: it is not my mother tongue
> though I love it as if it were).

Gee, we should all have the limitations you have with our English!  You
come across loud and clear.

> (nat=FCrlich!) when a teacher took us to a small, subterranean theatre
> where a lovely actress told us several stories, but I liked one in
> particular by someone called "Salinger" : "The Laughing Man". I was
> deeply moved, as I suppose anyone of you must have been, whatever the
> age. I even felt the fever of the leading character as I left the
> theatre, and ever since then JDS has been my favourite author.

"The Laughing Man" was my first exposure to JDS.  I was like a junkie for
his stuff, thereafter.

> but rather introduced me to a new world of
> feelings and characters. I had never imagined that I would have any
> interest in ashtrays, New York street games, or kids.

There is a wondeful book of stories (published by Schocken, Kafka's
publisher) called "New York Street Games," by Meyer Liben.  He manages, in
a rather scruffier way, to convey what JDS brings to life in terms of how
children behave in playing on the street.  Oddly, in some of his longer
work (e.g., the earlier "Justice Hunger") he manages to resemble Kafka,
particularly in dealing with romantic relationships.  Perhaps you might run
across it in a shop or in a library.  I last bought a copy about five years
ago, because it was there on the shelf for five dollars, and because I had
no idea of which box contained my original copy.

Kafka has always been one of my great heroes, except for personal life, in
which I've tried to do for myself the opposite of whatever Kafka did.  He
may be the only writer of this century who has a worse track record in
terms of personal relationships with women than I do.  8-)

> Motivated by JDS's unselfish reading guidance I've started reading
> Kafka's "Diaries" (you know, from the notes in "Raise high...") and a
> lot of beautiful similarities, which I can hardly explain, popped up.
> Perhaps you don't think they are relevant, or you have enlightening
> thoughts about this subject. In either case, I would be much obliged if
> you could share them.

I think you have provided a number of epiphanies worthy of Seymour himself
("Nice jump of a
clown from a chair and into the empty sides of the theatre" and "A
sleepless night, the third one in a row. I fall asleep alright, but an hour
later I wake up, as if I had put my head into the wrong hole" come to mind
instantly.)  It's so easy to forget that Kafka was in reality (even if
contrary to his unhappy nature and his public image) a very funny man.  His
friends spoke of his wonderful sense of humor.  It comes out as well in his
letters to lovers, family, and friends.

> Enough for this first message (I don't want to be garrulous). Bye!

Say as much as you want.  You're more than welcome, and your introductory
post offers many opportunities for digressions.  We just love digressions
here!

--tim