Among the things I had sent for was a box of arrack, and I was now of course besieged with requests for a little drop. I gave them a flask (about two bottles, which was very soon finished, and I was assured that there were many present who had not had a taste. As I feared my box would very soon be emptied if I supplied all their demands, I told them I had...
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“I want to marry this country,” I said. “It’s a good country,” Hand said. “I want to spend a lifetime here.” “Yeah.” “I could do it.” “Right.” And my mind leaped ahead, skipping and whistling. In the first year I’d master French, the second year join some kind of traveling medical...
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After Christmas Denise moved to Brooklyn and went to work in a new restaurant, and in April she sent Enid a plane ticket for her birthday. Enid thanked her and said she couldn’t possibly leave Alfred, it would not be right. Then she went and enjoyed four wonderful days in New York City. Denise looked so much happier than she had at Chrismas that Enid...
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A few years ago I missed two gigs that I really wanted to see. One was Jack Rose playing solo (ex-Pelt) and the other was Jason Molina (of Songs:Ohia and Magnolia Electric Co. fame). Jack Rose died just a few months later, and despite my careful monitoring of his touring schedule, Jason Molina never played in the UK again. Last week Jason Molina also died...
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When questions are especially interesting and difficult at the same time, as yours is, they tend to have several answers. We live because one day in early childhood we realise that we are alive and already have lots of reasons to go on living. These include the fact that there are many things about life that give us pleasure and happiness – even if...
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“Russia went bankrupt in August,” Gitanas said. “Maybe you heard? Unlike our elections, this was widely reported. This was economic news. This mattered to the investor. It also mattered to Lithuania. Our main trading partner now has crippling hard-currency debts and a worthless ruble. One guess which they use, dollars or rubles, to buy our hens’ eggs. And...
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