-
Transport to Sumer
- University of Wisconsin Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
69 TRANSPORT TO SUMER WhenCarolynwasagradstudent attheUniversityofChicago sheoverlappedwithPaulWolfowitz, architectofthe“pre-emptivewar”policy, whowasstudyingunderLeoStrauss. Carolynwasanunthen, inamedievalhabitthatbrushedtheground likeamedievalangel’swings. Shewascalled“mother” aftershegothermaster’s. Lessernuns(called“sisters”) washedherhabitsforher. Itwasthelate’60s, andIwasatoddler,outWestinSeattle, sleepingwithastuffedtiger called“Halloweeny.” Later—inthe1990s—ImovedtoChicago formyPh.D.Ithoughtknowledge wouldmakemeweighty, likea“sister,”ifnota“mother,” butIstayedmyself-growing-older, andeverydayIwalkedpastastatue honoringEnricoFermi, whosplittheatomsthatfell onHiroshimaandNagasaki. WhenImetCarolynatanalumni receptioninMilwaukee,wecomparednotes aboutourtimeattheU.ofC., andIwantedtosayitchangedme becauseImetyouthere,ChrisRoth, andlovemademywholebodysmart aswesatonafireescape listeningtothedownstairsneighbors lecturetheirdaughter,Amber, withfallsweepingHydeParkinvoluntarily settingthetreesonfire. So,Chris:what’sweighty? OncewevisitedtheU.ofC.museum wheretheyhadtheGatesofBabylon proppedagainstonewall, andclayfiguresfromSumer withsticklegsandenormouseyes. Thegateswereweighty.TheSumerians werelight.Leavesarelight.Light islight.Asweageweshrink, andIamgladtoholdyou atnightlikeanarchaeologicalfind: apersonwhowalkedwithmeoutoftheruins— solongPaulWolfowitz, ciaotothesplittersofatoms. 70 ...