Michael Malone - Weebly

"I mean," said Mrs. Ransom, "my dear, they are so
utterly peu compatissant and have been for thirty-odd
years. Winslow is, like me…and you," she added
expansively, "an observer of the circus.
And Beanie is a…," She first thought "elephant" but
set it aside as uncharitable, "…seal. Life is to Winslow,
and me, and you, a silly, sweaty melodrama, in
response to which only the deodorant of irony seems
sensible, or bearable."
"Well, oh, irony? I've never thought I…"
"Yes, yes, yes, it's quite true," interrupted Mrs.
Ransom, who did not want her phrasing meddled with.
"On the other hand, as Walter Saar said to me on the
phone this morning, Beanie will leave a rather large hole
in Winslow's life. Rather like overlooking the Grand
Tetons not to notice she was missing. Now, I imagine
that if someday Ernest misplaced me, like a golf ball, he
might briefly scan the grass with his shoe, but he
wouldn't want to hold up the game and would soon
decide he could simply get another."
"Priss, you always joke!"
Tracy's friend had to agree that when looking Life in