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Six Degrees of Separation
- University of Wisconsin Press
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67 SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION AliceB.Toklaswasalivein1966, butmyparents(beingthemselves)wereabsorbed inbuyingdiapers,payingrent,blowingup theblow-uppool— soitdidn’tdawnonthemthatif theydroppedeverything (golfclubs,keys,ovenmitts) andflewPanAmtoParis, andrentedamini, theycouldfindAliceB.atherflatinFrance, resplendentinablackwooldress, marinatinghalfalamb, andtheycouldsetmeonherlap. Mostlapsarechairs—dullandsturdy— butherswouldbeitchyanddense likeacollegelecture intwentieth-centuryhistory, andherhandswouldbecold, betrayingalingering nostalgiafortheVichypuppetstate. Butwemissedourchance.Aliceisdead, andsoisFreud,sothere’snoonetosay thatmyparents(motherespecially)aretoblame. Everylifeisitsownflame. Andnow,inthesummerof2003, GeorgeBushispeddlinga“roadmaptopeace,” andEminemistouring,andtheworldteems withhistoricalfiguresthatmysonwillnevermeet. Justtoday,GregoryPeckdied.Andwherewerewe? Weweresittingonatiltedpicnicbench inMilwaukee. Son,I’msorry. Thesex-edbookscallbirthamiracle, butwhattheydon’tdescribeismelyinghelpless andbloodyasyouwereborn. Icouldonlycarryyousofar. Mymusclespressedejectandthen mycrywasnotyourcry, whileoutsidewhocansaywhatwild cargopassedusby? 68 ...