Firefly of Trill

[ismo]

Cranky. Have had too many conversations lately. A difficult one yesterday about a problematic matter. I provided some resources, and it sounds as if they being made use of, so it was worthwhile, I guess. Nevertheless, it upset the equilibrium. Another difficult, though mercifully brief one today. Madame called in quite a tizzy, to say her daughter is coming home from vacation at midnight, and she simply MUST get her car back before then, so would I kindly come at once and take her to her house to get it. Sadly, I had to refuse her plea. She hung up on me in rather a huff. I felt so sorry. She did not look well, and I am sure she was not herself. This is a very difficult time for anyone to go through. I exchanged texts with Mademoiselle, who is indeed on her way home, and was assured that she has a plan and will be meeting with Madame on Friday, so that's some comfort. I'm not offended, and I don't take it personally, but it does bring back some sad memories of having to decline, as gently as possible, things my parents urgently wanted me to do, but which could not be done. I suppose I'll call her again tomorrow, just to see if she has changed her mind and would still like to get coffee even though she isn't getting her car. I rather hope she'll still be mad at me, because I could use the day off!

The Sparrowhawk went to Meijer and completed my half-assed Easter candy shopping, and mailed the results to the appropriate people. This was a truly heroic effort on his part, which I very much appreciate. Carlo the Magnificent for the win! Honestly, this is not the fun it used to be, because so many things are inexplicably unavailable, so it's more like scrounging than selecting. He did find an abundance of Cadbury cream eggs, and those were hard to get last year. It rained all day again, with a bit of thunder. We've been reading "Son of the Black Stallion" at night. It's an extremely harrowing book, for a kids' book about horses. Satan, son of the Black, is a perfectly horrible animal who tries to kill everyone and very nearly succeeds. Delusional Alec thinks the colt will soon learn to love him. Alec's mother is pathetic and seems to be on drugs, and his father is an idiot. Old Henry, the ex-jockey, knows the score, but nobody will listen to him. So, in a final burst of desperation, after Satan tries to crush Alec to death, Henry attempts to train the devil horse himself. Satan, who seems to be none too smart, as well as terminally vicious, jumps the fence while still tied to a couple of ropes, and very nearly kills himself for a change. Henry also is left for dead, even though Satan fails to completely finish the job. I certainly hope tonight's chapter will be the eucatastrophe, because I can't take much more of this and the book is more than half over already, with nothing but angst. Now I remember why I never liked it as a child! I really wonder if the inscrutable Abu Jakub ben Ishak, owner of the Black, gave the colt to Alec as a weapon of mass destruction, hoping to rid himself of this rival for the affections of his horse. That would probably be too dark for a kids' book, but the author seems to have little regard for the sensibilities of his youthful audience.

Comments

[oracne]

Ahhh, yes, that one is a harrowing one! I remember re-reading and trying to understand the various issues in play, as I couldn't figure out why Satan (what a name for a horse!) was how he was, and how that could be overcome. I found it scary and also puzzling.