February 7, 2011

Sang the Bach Cantata #1, which is beyond perfect because the perfection is full of surprises. Why did he do that? Who would ever have thought to do that? It is still in my ear, which is a blessed circumstance. Church was meaningful, which was welcome after many weeks of its being a dull routine. Kyle’s meditation on Wie Schon Leichtet at Eucharist actually put me into a state of sweet meditation. I was benevolent for an hour or so. It had been much too long since I had been benevolent.

Periodically harassed by an individual who calls himself Theater Goer in the Mountain X comments column. He’s either remarkably stupid, or so intent on finding something to criticize in what I’ve written that his own dignity is tossed manically out the window. This week’s comment, on my review of SS’s Jekyll and Hyde, was “I wish the reviewer had given us some idea of what the play was about.” Dear God. My own campaigns of scorn fall flat because I am not willing to look too stupid, not willing to mouth off too barbarously. Clearly these are scruples not shared by all.

Bought a green sweater I saw in a shop window in Biltmore. See it, like it, own it. For some reason that seemed very bold.

Out to Waynesville to see The Last Flapper. One of those drives where I have no recollection of anything between turning out of my alley and arriving at the theater.

A boy is sitting in the hall as I’m going to my last class. He asks me, “Do you know if Mr. Driggers is in?” He’s sitting by Driggers’ door, so I assume he’s knocked. I say, “Haven’t seen him all day.” Later, when I’m out in the hall again, he’s still there, collapsed over himself like an allegory of Misery. I say, “Can someone else help you?” When he raises his head, it’s clear he has been weeping. He says, “No. . No. . . but thank you so much for your kindness.” I go on to class, but since that moment I’ve been distracted by the sad face, the defeat of the words, almost frantic to know if he’s all right. I have seldom seen anyone so sad.