We were talking yesterday about how, going through life, people inhabit and transit through various “worlds,” never remaining in one place permanently. Jane’s 16, kind of lives “in the moment,” and hasn’t yet bothered to ponder the “worlds” concept.
I think of my various worlds and try to remember where, if
anywhere, I was
happiest
because most of my past consists now of lost worlds, never to be re-entered,
re-visited.
Yesterday I visited Iguana Island off of Providenciales. It was definitely Iguana World there, so much
so that when
the park warden showed us off the island and bade us farewell, I immediately imagined him transforming into an iguana as soon
as he vanished
from our sight.
It was a fabulous, peaceful place and the iguanas, chasing each other like
our cats and dogs do at home, eating bright red bell peppers, seemed completely and
comfortably ensconced
in their universe, living in their various moments.
I’m fairly discontent currently, but have made solid (but flexible) escape plans. I think Turks and Caicos may definitely be “the ticket.”
We were talking about him over dinner and Caroline told me that after his capture (where
the police sought and obtained the assistance of Ted Bundy as a serial killer
“profiler”), a
psychiatrist asked Ridgeway what it was he thought made him different than other people.
Ridgeway replied “that caring thing.”
That was so sharp, direct and simple a definition of sociopathy. About a year ago, a friend sent me an article published at
Harvard, I
believe, claiming that 25% of the U.S. population were sociopaths. I think that figure is ludicrously high, but also that the number isn’t as low as we in our various
worlds would like to think it is.
I like your fleeting thought that the warden might turn into an iguana as soon as you leave. Who knows? And the idea of a series of worlds not revisited. There are a lot of those the older we get and look back. As for the psychopaths out there, did you read 'The Psychopath Test.?' Ron Jonson is an interesting author. I reviewed it here (trying not to toot own horn, but it applies, really) http://bhplnjbookgroup.blogspot.com/2013/05/blog-favorites-psychopath-test.html Enjoy the island world...
ReplyDeleteI will definitely read The Psychopath Test. Right now I'm reading Wilkie Collins' The Moonstone and a wonderful history of some "masters of suspense" by Gavin Lambert called The Dangerous Edge, which I recommend highly. Curtis
DeleteA Dangerous Edge sounds good. I just looked to see which libraries in NJ have it, so I can borrow it. There are some copies out there, at schools and universities. I have been thinking about reading/re-reading old detective fiction when I get frustrated with the new stuff. Went on a Christie streak last winter. - Anne
ReplyDeleteA Dangerous Edge is excellent and doubly fascinating read against the backdrop of Lambert's extremely fine fiction writing, i.e., The Slide Area, Inside Daisy Clover, The Goodbye People and Running Time. I would also recommend The Ivan Moffat Diaries. Lambert was a fascinating artist and critic, who wore his erudition lightly. The Dangerous Edge is revelatory, at least to me. Curtis
Delete