I got this e-mail this morning. The quote from the writer comes from a daily service that sends out a cute/odd graphic coupled with a comment that seems torn out of a novel from the era of relevant writing, which is the mid-1970s. With a little tweaking I thought the exchange deserved to be on the blog.

Hi G,

Just thought you needed to know that I am the one he was writing about, here:

I try & walk a line between terror & ecstasy, she said & then she shook her head. You'd be amazed at the people who avoid me for no good reason, other than that.


Have a lovely day....

Sincerely,

M

My response was as follows:

M,

The fact that we both are walking that line may explain this long electronic conversation. Terror and ecstasy or the sacred and profane, walking any line that has stark contrasts while carefully accepting the ambiguity and ambivalence inherent in such a path scares the bejusus out of most of the people around you. All you have to do is ask one question like, "Do you really believe that...", ‘Have you ever read the philosopher Spinoza”,” It shouldn't be that way should it", or "What's say we drink the rest of these beers and ...." and most people are running for the doors.

Jay

PS My favorite question along this line starts, “So discounting gym showers what is the maximum number of naked people you have ever encountered at one time?”