Low life
In the thick of it
The street made a left turn then a sharp right. Just before my heart burst out of my chest, God placed on my left-hand side a shuttered shop doorway about 18 inches deep and gratefully I jammed myself into it. As I did so a huge black fighting bull slid past on his back, eyeing me without malice as it went. Then another slid by. Then four more. They’d toppled over on the greasy cobbles at the sharp turn and momentum was carrying them along upside-down. A young American had also wedged himself in the doorway. ‘Holy s***!’ he said. I don’t ever again expect to hear this trite profanity uttered with such heartfelt sincerity or to be in such perfect accord with the speaker.
The bulls stumbled to their feet and forged on up the street. I squeezed under a wooden barrier and went in search of a strong cup of tea and a ticket for the evening bullfight to continue my education.
It’s said that when Hemingway blew out his brains on 2 July 1962, they found tickets for the forthcoming Pamplona bull fair in his back pocket. His paranoia meant that he couldn’t arrange his affairs to be there that year either. Shooting himself was an extreme reaction. But I can understand why not being there depressed him.
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ian skidmore
July 12th, 2008 12:35pmYou are so right about Hemingway. I would add a Moveable Feast,though to his good work
graeme hughes
July 14th, 2008 9:48ama question- not a comment.
some yrs back you used a water colour cartoonist- what was his name & what became of him?
Piotr Bielinski
July 16th, 2008 11:28amCorrection: Hemingway died on 2 July 1961 - at the age of 62.
Piotr Bielinski
July 16th, 2008 11:30amCorrection: Hemingway died July 2 1961 -at the age of 62.