That fits something I've been thinking about the >child in that last story in Nine Stories--"Teddy." I think he's supposed to >be the reincarnation of Seymour. > >It's on page 188 of that neato white covered paperback edition that's matches >all the other neato white paperback editions.... > >"I met a lady, and I sort of stopped meditating....I wouldn't have had to get >reincarnated in an American body if I hadn't met that lady. I mean it's very >hard to meditate and live a spiritual life in America." The Teddy character >seems to be a preview of the child in Hapworth 21 and a reflection of the >children in the Glass family. > >So I think you're on to something there. Seymour, to get happiness with >Muriel, had to cut himself off from a pretty important part of himself, and he >couldn't live with himself... > >Jim > > I'm not sure I think Seymour is necessarily the reincarnation of Teddy--or vice-versa--but "Teddy" was the story that sort of led me to that conclusion. More than the passage you quoted, the passage that directly follows, about people not wanting to move on to better things. Brendan Free web-based email, Forever, From anywhere! http://www.mailexcite.com