Pages

Friday 29 May 2009

Confusing.


I came to a somewhat unsettling conclusion yesterday evening. For all intents and purposes, I am a 50 something British man.

Which is a bit disturbing to deal with, since ostensibly I am a 20 something South African chick, but hey.

I just finished reading Mark Haddon's A spot of bother. This is the guy who wrote The curious incident of the dog in the night time.

I read this book in almost one sitting. It is so funny, and disturbing and random and so
(stereo?)typically English in that wry, self-deprecating way, that I could not put it down. It also reaffirmed why I will NEVER EVER get married. Dude.

Basically the book is about an average dysfunctional family, which proceeds to go through a spectacular meltdown to become united in the bizarre mayhem. This culminates in a wedding from hell, involving a religious dog and a headbutt.

The mom is having an affair, the son is gay, the daughter is marrying someone inappropriate who throws rubbish bins when he gets mad.

But of all the characters, I saw myself and my future in the father. He is reserved, distant, detached from his surroundings, disinterested in social interactions, an emotional coward who prefers to hide away rather than face up to uncomfortable situations, or else he just pretends they never happened. He forgets names, makes no effort to remember people or conversations.

He finds family and social life way too demanding. And that is me to a T. A retired Englishman.

If George is anything to go by, I should probably try to change quite soon, or else I will find myself lying in ditches, and doing things with scissors that I really do not think they were made for. This book is pretty gory and disturbing at times. Be warned. I had to take a break in one part just to settle my stomach.

I enjoyed the book and it is pretty light reading, but it does freak me out to identify so strongly with a pensioner with a dingle dangle. Perhaps I should start trying to engage with life a bit better, or at least pretend to until it becomes real?

Hmm. That sounds like too much hard work. Bring on the dentures and the Y-fronts.

14 comments:

Goblin said...

Y-fronts. Seksy!

Sounds like an interesting book though, I shall have to get my hands on it.

But I'm not wearing Y-fronts to read it.

LadyFi said...

I loved this book - and Haddon's first one too!

Somehow I just can't see you as George... I suggest you switch to boxer shorts...

Rox said...

Hehe, being aware is the first step - maybe if George was such a cool self-aware 20 something he may not have become the hermity 50 something he is? ;-)

Anonymous said...

Dingle dangle.... Whaaaa haaa

po said...

Goblin: eeeeeuw did I really say "Y-fronts" in public?

Bad mental images.

LAdyfi: yes, boxer shorts are probably the way to go. I'm not sure George actually had dentures either, but he did go certifiably insane, and that is more worrying.

Rox: yeah, its pretty weird identifying with an old man though.

Tay: whaha indeed!

6000 said...

I came to a worrying conclusion last night that I am a 30-something British man.

Then I woke up this morning and you'd never believe it, but...

po said...

6000: You were an 18 year old Bangkok lady boy????!!!

Helen said...

I must try and find that book when I get home, it sounds awesome!

Try watching Green Wing - I fnd I identify strongly with the craz Scottish lady who occasionally comes to work dressed as a squirrel or a ham (literally)and chases people away by playing annoying ringtones at them...

po said...

Helen: waha! You want to be a ham?

I only ever saw one episode of Green Wing, it looked really whacky, actually I will probably love it, I should hunt it down!

sass said...

ok, po, i'm alarmed. i signed up for this young chick with a quirky sense of humor and now i discover you wear y-fronts! ;-)

Dash said...

when are you going to write YOUR book? I love the way you make the words flow along the page. its like absorbing words without actually having to read them.

Serious.

po said...

Sass: nooooooo I don't really I don't even know what they are! Ok I do but yuck. No Y-fronts for me just yet.

Dash: oooh why thank you. I am working on it. Welll, not juuuust yet. I am trying to start trying to start to write.

AngelConradie said...

Mwaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaa...

Dora said...

Awe fucks. From what you described of that character, it sounds just like me as well!!!

I've been meaning to read that book for ages, maybe it's high time I start now!