“I am full of goodwill for my youngish…friend, but I have nothing precise to tell him—by which I mean, nothing that might not be construed as discouraging. And this is the one thing I feel sure about, that I am under a duty to not discourage; and I am visited by a shiver, because it seems that I have truly crossed into what one might call the largely exemplary stage of life, which may be a slightly tragic term for adulthood.” (Joseph O’ Neill from Netherland)

Last night I heard about a driving encounter that begged for unpacking. A woman had been seeking a parking place in a crowded store lot. She was following another car when a spot suddenly opened up. The first car had traveled just a little too far to back up and pull in, so my acquaintance took advantage of the empty place. The young man behind the wheel became irate at this missed opportunity. He parked further down the row and made sure to catch up with my acquaintance as she entered the store.