MDMD: On dreams

[Michel Ryckx]

The exchanges between mr Nightingale and Terrance were highly interesting.  I've been struggling for
a while now with the reverend's character and especially the way he tells his story.  This is from a
different angle.

Those who have the luck to be forced to tell stories to their children, they will know what I'll be
talking about.  Imagine a parent, a family member present; he or she is forced into a ritual:
story-telling.

'You want me to tell you a story?'  That's the way a story begins.  You're immediately interrupted
for the kids always (and I mean always) say what it has to be about.  It may take you a while, but
this is the rule when telling tales to your children:  as long as you do not promise to include the
subjects mentioned by the kids, and provided the story is told well, they don't mind what it is
about. You can see it when their eyes gaze into infinity  --you may even be lucky for a few moments.

We do not know the twins' age.  But they are still young enough to play in the snow for at least the
afternoon, and this nearly daily, as we are told on the first page.  As suggested by Judy I think,
they are about 11 or 12; if older they may loose their interest in stories, and in snow.

Ths is what Pitt and Pliny want, like most children : tension (Indians, perhaps French), sweetness,
perhaps exotic (oh, French women), and a happy ending (America, this Advent of 1786.).  At least in
the beginning, the reverend's story has none of the subjects mentioned; but a hanging, wow, that is
great stuff.  And whatever the Reverend may be--I think of him as the novel's Stencil-- , he's a
real teller of stories.  But then another problem pops up: the reader of the novel hears a
completely different story, for can you imagine the reverend reading out loud the exchange of
letters?  We only hear, now and then, a small comment of the twins, of 'Brae, Uncles, Aunties and
Parents.  I think the Reverend is telling us something else; for the twins he may be using his
parsonickal disguise.

I'm sorry, but I don't master your language enough to put it more aptly (English the only language I
know of that gets more difficult the better you know it)

Let's not forget this novel is a present to a young boy.

Michel.

(PS: Did Kilgore Trout already speak up on the Events? I just read Timequake again.  Everybody who
needs consolation may turn to it)