this crisis situation to get out of it?”
Christian said, “No, no, he values your life’s work, hewants to do it. Oliver, you were and are a great man. Just hang on. Hell, what’s a few months after a hundred years?” He paused. “But if you prefer, since you don’t like Francis, we can forget about his big plans for your birthday party, mass coverage by the media, your name and picture in all the papers and on TV. I can always throw you a little private party right away and get the whole thing over with.” He smiled at the Oracle to show that he was joking. Sometimes the old man took him too literally.
“Thank you, but no,” the Oracle said. “I want to have something to live for. Namely, a birthday party given by the President of the United States. But let me tell you, your Kennedy is shrewd. He knows my name still means something. The publicity will enhance his image. Your Francis Xavier Kennedy is as crafty as was his uncle Jack. Now, Bobby would have shown me the back of his hand.”
Christian said, “None of your contemporaries are left, but your protégés are some of the great men and women in the country, and they look forward to doing you this honor. Including the President. He doesn’t forget that you helped him on his way. He’s even inviting your buddies in the Socrates Club and he hates them. It will be your best birthday party.”
“And my last,” the Oracle said. “I’m hanging on by my fucking fingernails.”
Christian laughed. The Oracle had never used bad language until he was ninety, so now he used it as innocently as a child.
“That’s settled,” the Oracle said. “Now let me tell you something about great men, Kennedy and myself included. They finally consume themselves and the people around them. Not that I concede your Kennedy is a great man. So he’s become President of the United States. But that is anillusionist’s trick. Do you know, by the way, that in show business the magician is considered to be completely without artistic talent?” Here the Oracle cocked his head; he astonishingly resembled an owl.
“I will concede that Kennedy is not your typical politician,” the Oracle said. “He is an idealist, he is far more intelligent and he has morals, though I wonder whether sexual rigidity is healthy. But all these virtues are a handicap to political greatness. A man without a vice? A sailing ship without a sail!”
Christian asked, “You disapprove of his actions. What course would you take?”
“That is not relevant,” the Oracle said. “His whole three years, he’s got his dick half in, half out, and that’s always trouble.” Now the Oracle’s eyes became cloudy. “I hope it doesn’t interfere with my birthday party too long. What a life I had, eh? Who had a better life than I? Poor at birth, so that I could appreciate the wealth I earned later. A homely man who learned to captivate and enjoy beautiful women. A good brain, a learned compassion so much better than the genetic kind. Enormous energy, enough to power me past old age. A good constitution, I’ve never been really sick in my life. A great life, and long! And that’s the trouble, maybe a little too long. I can’t bear to look at myself in the mirror now, but as I said, I was never handsome.” He paused for a time and then said abruptly to Christian, “Leave government service. Dissociate yourself from everything that is happening now.”
“I can’t do that,” Christian said. “It’s too late.” He studied the old man’s freckled head and marveled at the brain that was still so alive. Christian stared into those aged eyes shrouded like a never-ending misty sea. Would he ever be so old, with his body shriveling like some dead insect?
And the Oracle watching him thought, How transparent they all are, as guileless as little children. It was obvious to the Oracle that his advice had been given too late, that Christian would commit a treachery to himself.
Christian finished his
Christian said, “No, no, he values your life’s work, hewants to do it. Oliver, you were and are a great man. Just hang on. Hell, what’s a few months after a hundred years?” He paused. “But if you prefer, since you don’t like Francis, we can forget about his big plans for your birthday party, mass coverage by the media, your name and picture in all the papers and on TV. I can always throw you a little private party right away and get the whole thing over with.” He smiled at the Oracle to show that he was joking. Sometimes the old man took him too literally.
“Thank you, but no,” the Oracle said. “I want to have something to live for. Namely, a birthday party given by the President of the United States. But let me tell you, your Kennedy is shrewd. He knows my name still means something. The publicity will enhance his image. Your Francis Xavier Kennedy is as crafty as was his uncle Jack. Now, Bobby would have shown me the back of his hand.”
Christian said, “None of your contemporaries are left, but your protégés are some of the great men and women in the country, and they look forward to doing you this honor. Including the President. He doesn’t forget that you helped him on his way. He’s even inviting your buddies in the Socrates Club and he hates them. It will be your best birthday party.”
“And my last,” the Oracle said. “I’m hanging on by my fucking fingernails.”
Christian laughed. The Oracle had never used bad language until he was ninety, so now he used it as innocently as a child.
“That’s settled,” the Oracle said. “Now let me tell you something about great men, Kennedy and myself included. They finally consume themselves and the people around them. Not that I concede your Kennedy is a great man. So he’s become President of the United States. But that is anillusionist’s trick. Do you know, by the way, that in show business the magician is considered to be completely without artistic talent?” Here the Oracle cocked his head; he astonishingly resembled an owl.
“I will concede that Kennedy is not your typical politician,” the Oracle said. “He is an idealist, he is far more intelligent and he has morals, though I wonder whether sexual rigidity is healthy. But all these virtues are a handicap to political greatness. A man without a vice? A sailing ship without a sail!”
Christian asked, “You disapprove of his actions. What course would you take?”
“That is not relevant,” the Oracle said. “His whole three years, he’s got his dick half in, half out, and that’s always trouble.” Now the Oracle’s eyes became cloudy. “I hope it doesn’t interfere with my birthday party too long. What a life I had, eh? Who had a better life than I? Poor at birth, so that I could appreciate the wealth I earned later. A homely man who learned to captivate and enjoy beautiful women. A good brain, a learned compassion so much better than the genetic kind. Enormous energy, enough to power me past old age. A good constitution, I’ve never been really sick in my life. A great life, and long! And that’s the trouble, maybe a little too long. I can’t bear to look at myself in the mirror now, but as I said, I was never handsome.” He paused for a time and then said abruptly to Christian, “Leave government service. Dissociate yourself from everything that is happening now.”
“I can’t do that,” Christian said. “It’s too late.” He studied the old man’s freckled head and marveled at the brain that was still so alive. Christian stared into those aged eyes shrouded like a never-ending misty sea. Would he ever be so old, with his body shriveling like some dead insect?
And the Oracle watching him thought, How transparent they all are, as guileless as little children. It was obvious to the Oracle that his advice had been given too late, that Christian would commit a treachery to himself.
Christian finished his
Similar Books
