We had just seated ourselves Sunday in Los Cuates, the mariachi was singing. My phone showed there were messages on Messenger from David and Scott Merrill. Scott's message had been posted on Jan 1 (same day Joe died). Phil died Dec 28. I called Scott later that day. He knew Phil had not been doing well for a while, was with him the night before and he was having trouble breathing, had been popping various old medicines over a few days. A 911 call went out early Sunday morning, not clear how Scott learned about that later one, maybe from Phil's brother. Later Ross and Scott made three visits to clear out the apartment and save some of Phil's papers and some momentos from themselves. Ross Smart. They talk about having a memorial get together later, maybe in May in Brattleboro.
Quite a shock. Felt sad all day, still. Kim and Olen arrived that afternoon, wonderful visit with them. They are at the Indian Cultural Center this morning. Lou and B coming for lunch. K and O will head back to Salida after they stop to say hello goodbye here. Barry with them.
Dennis excited about his move. Has dates for the mover and for Skylar his neice to drive him to Philly.
Finishing Handke's Child Story in Slow Homecoming. Just ordered play he published year after that.
Still astonished by the book, how he reconfigured the traditional material of the three "journeys" over landscape, geology and art, image and brushstroke, word choices, steps.
Nina Kalkus the youngest, 8 years younger than older brother, who has two children, is a clinical psychologist in private schools, did univ at St Andrews. Oldest brother is ? Evan? have not gotten their names straight. He works as an emt, may try to do med school but can't get it together. They worry about him and about Nina.
Ladies lunched. Lou took a photo of us with K & O. They headed off to home, high winds now gusting, hope they don't encounter any trouble with them.
Finished H's Child Story and the whole of Slow Homecoming. Have I enjoyed a book so much? Maybe I enjoyed Repetition a bit more? Child Story ends with Greek quote from Menander about suffering in childhood, punishment. Greek view. Tragic forms of experience. Handke experiments in that essay with the distancing effect of third person and impersonal semi-abstract tone and attitude. Trying to place his six years raising his daughter alone into the larger geology, landscape, of timeless human experience. She attended a Jewish school for a year or so. He so carefully honors that and globalizes that or anthropologizes that as a school and community for "the people."
Did I read Across just before Christmas? Amazon says I bought the book then and I think I did read it but I will ask chatgpt to give me a detailed summary to refresh memory.
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