A good read.
It's a ride on the relationship tracks traveling one's entire
life, first seen through the adolescent eyes, then married and finally with weak old eyes which frames a blurry
picture (when it's hard to walk again on the memory lanes). The
storyline runs parallel with philosophy and mild humour. I loved the ending.
Barnes puts the adolescence part
first which makes the story appear as another "catcher in the rye"
type story but he slowly unfolds it into a deeper storyline.
It's a short and crisp read. The book has some good quotes
which fits everyone’s life.
The adolescence described in the first part is worth mentioning, “eager-to-learn as well as ready-to-deny-with-absurd-reasoning” attitude followed by arrogance.
I quite agree with Margaret’s version of “two kinds of women” but then I also second tony, it doesn’t matter to men.
The “sixities” mentioned in the book were probably the “later nineties” in India. The present stage of youngsters playing with mobile phones, emails and FB etc makes me sad inside and in retrospect somehow I feel happy that I liked playing out with “real” friends rather than having a match onscreen in real-time with my “virtual” friends.
“How times Change!” ..This contrast is wonderfully shown in the book.
Most of us react the way Tony does and even perhaps get with it. I mean how often does one gets a letter/mail from the ex-bf/gf's parent(s) saying you are left with $500 by “will” which ultimately makes you re-think the past relationship you were in. I wonder, do people in old age regret about everything they said, did in past (without any such reminders like “will” etc)? isn't it sad?
Don't we sometimes over think a situation forming
conclusions, images on our own? Interpretations are so different from the
reality.
Our actions/words today will decide whether we regret the “today”
as our “past” then. Relationships sometimes workout and at times don't, but
should be remember the bad times forgetting all the good times when we actually
enjoyed each other's company? Isn't it unfair?
And we incidentally forget as we continue blaming the
"ex" for all the cr*ps in life, that he was "my own" choice
to begin with!
Also, words that slip during those fights often end up
twisting the situation into one of those knots that takes nothing less than a
blade or scissors. Anger is one letter short of danger.
P.S : I often do this, when i am angry with my friend i
write a mail with all kinds of incentives and put it in my drafts... I NEVER
send them. It takes the anger out of me and gives me hard "laughs" as
i go through it after few days and see the insanity in me before finally
deleting it. Plus, It saves me the embarrassment of facing my own words through
his mouth.
