Hare - My Zinc Bed

For myself, nothing that has happened, nothing that can happen, compares with the passage of a single summer, from May to September, the cyber-summer when I first met Elsa Quinn.

It is not yet clear where we are, but, wherever, it is plainly Victors home turf and Paul is the guest. The space around them remains undefined. Victor Many are the stories with interesting beginnings, but harder to find are the stories which end well. He stops short of Paul, not yet shaking his hand. Paul Im sorry? Victor Surely you cant have forgotten. Paul Oh, I see. Victor Your own words. Paul Yes.

Victor Though maybe you write so many you lose track. (He smiles and shakes Pauls hand.) Victor Quinn. Paul Paul Peplow. Victor Of course. Victor gestures towards a chair, leaving Paul free to sit or stand as he chooses. End well in which sense? A story which ends well, meaning well, meaning happily for its subject, or well, meaning in a way which satisfies the reader? Or did you intend both? Is the ambiguity deliberate? Paul Both, I think.

It was just a book review. Victor looks at him a moment. Victor I cant believe thats what you really feel. Paul waits, not willing to show his discomfiture. Drink? Paul No thank you. Victor Of course. Wrong of me to ask. (He flashes a smile at Paul.) Well.

As you know, I dont often agree to be interviewed. Paul Its kind of you. Victor Not at all. Paul Why are you normally so reclusive? Victor Have we started? Paul has reached into his pocket and got out a notebook. Ah. The books coming out. Paul Please.

Victor How can you call me a recluse? I live in the centre of London. Paul But you dont give interviews. Victor Im not an exhibitionist, no. Im a simple man. My question is always To what end? To what end would I tell people, say, my favourite restaurant? My favourite tailor? That the world should beat a path to the restaurant? That I should have to wait longer for my suit? Paul Do you have a tailor? Victor No. Paul makes a note. Paul makes a note.

If youd like something to eat. Paul No thank you. And how did you know I would refuse a drink? Victor Ah. Paul Did someone tell you? Victor smiles, pleased with this question. Victor I believe you belong to what cooks on television call the vulnerable groups. Paul Ive never heard that expression.

Victor Remember: dont put brandy in this pudding, it endangers the vulnerable groups. You dont need to say more. I know about these things. Hello my name is Victor. Im an alcoholic. You see.

Ive followed the course myself. Paul Its not really a course. Victor No. A course implies an end Paul Yes. Victor And in this case there is no end. (He looks at Paul thoughtfully.) Ive studied the meetings.

At the time I was trying to understand the techniques. Paul What techniques exactly? Victor Well, Paul, we can talk about anything you like. But for this particular subject, you first have to concede the accuracy of my intelligence. (He waits for Paul.) Im sorry. Paul No. Paul hesitates a moment. Paul I go to the meetings, yes. Paul hesitates a moment. Paul I go to the meetings, yes.

Victor Yes, thats what I thought. Paul I have no idea how you know. To be honest Im surprised youve heard of me at all. Victor England is a series of clubs. No club more celebrated, no club more socially advantageous than yours. Under the guise of admitting their fallibility, people meet in fact to advance their own cause.

Paul You obviously didnt go very often. Victor No. (Victor gestures at Paul to encourage him to speak.) You say. You say what you think these meetings are. Paul A means one means of people helping one another. Victor looks at Paul for a moment in a way which makes it clear that Victor thinks him naive.

I suppose we should start by discussing FLOTILLA . Victor Go ahead. Paul Its recent move to the stock market. Victor A transparent success. Whats your question? Paul Whether you did it for the money. For the first time Victor looks impatient.

Victor Now perhaps you understand my distrust. What do I answer? I did it for the money. People will think Im greedy. I didnt do it for the money. Then theyll say Im unworldly. More likely, Im lying.

Im a hypocrite. Paul, you of all people understand: the modern newspaper interview is a form as rigid and contrived as the eighteenth-century gavotte. Paul Shall I just put: he refused to answer? Victor Meaning: hes a prick. They both smile. He consented to an interview, then he wouldnt answer the questions! Paul Why of all people? Why did you say me of all people? Victor A poet. Paul Ah.

Victor I read poetry. I read yours. Love was the search, the wheel, the line, The open road and the steep incline; Things speeding by, the final turn in view, Next: something disastrous, overwhelming, new. I hardly believe you would now be paddling in journalism if it werent purely for the money. Paul No. Paul Yes. Paul Yes.

So to speak. (Paul smiles, amused by Victors manner.) Victor I liked the idea, I promise you. Paul Of this interview? Victor No. Of the meetings. I thought the meetings amusing. Paul Amusing? Obviously you arent alcoholic.

Victor Im not. Paul The meetings are a discipline. Victor Of course. They wouldnt be addictive if they werent. Paul now understands Victors point. Paul Oh I see Victor All cults make similar demands.

Paul I think its childish, people calling AA a cult. Its ignorant. I tell you what: I actually believe its quite dangerous. Victor Do you? Id have thought its a classic cult. Paul Why? Victor The chairs, the coffee, the soul-searching (Victor hastens to explain.) Believe me, Im not denying its usefulness. Paul You couldnt.

Victor It is the means by which many people survive. Or they believe it is. Paul It saved my life. There is a short silence. I was found on the M 4, dodging the traffic. And naked, in the middle of the night.

Victor Huh. Paul I dont need to question the value of AA.