Robert Kennedy Saved from Drowning

  K.atHisDesk

  Heisherabruptwithnorexcessivelykindtoassociates.Orheisbothabruptandkind.

  Thetelephoneis,forhim,awhip,alash,butalsoaduitforsoothingwords,asinkintowhichhehurlgallonsofsyrupifitestothat.

  Hereadsquickly,scratgbriefents("Yes,""No")inersofthepaper.Heslouchesiherchair,lookingabouthimwithaslightlyirritatedairfornewvisitors,newdifficul?ties.Hespendshistimesendingandreceivingmessengers.

  "Ispendmytimesendingandreceivingmessen?gers,"hesays."Someofthesemessagesareim?portant.Othersarenot."

  DescribedbySecretaries

  A:"QuitefranklyIthinkhefetsalotofthings.Butthethingshefetsarethosewhichareiial.Ieventhinkhemightfetdelib?erately,toleavehismindfree.Hehastheabilitytogetridofunimportaails.Andhedoes."

  B:"OncewhenIwassick,Ihadntheardfromhim,andIthoughthehadfottenme.Youknowusuallyyourbosswillsendflowersorsomethinglikethat.Iwasinthehospital,andIwasmightyblue.Iwasinaroomwithanirl,andherbosshadheranythiher.Thensud?denlythedooropenedandtherehewaswiththebiggestbunchofyellowtulipsIdeverseeninmylife.Ahergirlsbosswaswithhim,aulipstoo.Theywerestandingtherewithallthosetulips,smiling."

  BehindtheBar

  Atacrowdedparty,hewandersbehiomakehimselfaScotdwater.HishandisoleofScotch,hisglassiswaiting.Thebar?tender,asmallmaninabeigeuniformwithgiltbuttons,politelyasksK.toreturntotheotherside,theguestsside,ofthebar."Youletonebe?hiheyallbebehindhere,"thebartendersays.

  K.ReadingtheNeer

  Hisreasareimpossibletocatalogue.Oftenhewillfindaamuseshimendlessly,someaeinvolving,say,afiremanro?pelledhisapparatusatrecord-breakiothewrongaddress.Thesesmallstoriesareclipped,carriedaboutinapocket,tobeproducedatappropriatemomentsforthepleasureoffriends.Othermaionspleasehimless.AnatofahquakeinChile,withitsthousandsofdeadandhomeless,maydepresshimforweeks.Hememorizestheterriblestatistics,quotingthemeverywhereandsaying,withagravelook:"Wemustdosomething."Importantasoftenfol?low,sometimeswithinamatterofhours.(Oherhand,thesetwokindsofresponsesmaybe,onagivenday,inexplicablyreversed.)

  Themoretrivialaspectsofthedailyitemizationareskipped.Whilereading,hemaintainsarapiddrummingofhisfiipsonthedesktop.Here?ceivestwelveneers,butofthese,onlyfardedasserious.

  AttitudeTowardHisWork

  "SometimesItseemtodoanything.Theworkisthere,piledup,itseemstomeaninsur?mountableobstacle,reallyoutofreach.Isitandlookatit,wwheretobegin,howtotakeholdofit.PerhapsIpickupapieceofpaper,trytoreaditbutmymindiselsewhere,Iamthinkingofsomethingelse,Itseemtogetthegistofit,itseemsmeaningless,devoidofi,nothavingtodowithhumanaffairs,drainedoflife.Then,inanhour,orevenamoment,everythinggessuddenly:IrealizeIonlyhavetodoit,hurlmyselfintothemidstofit,proceedmeically,thefirstthingahesedthing,thatitissimplyamatterofmovingfromohe,plow?ingthroughit.Ibeeied,Ibeeex?cited,Iworkveryfast,thingsfallintoplace,Iamexhilarated,amazedthatthesethingscouldeverhaveseemeddeadtome."

  SleepingoonesofUnknownTowns(Rim?baud)

  K.iswalking,withthatfamiliarslightdipoftheshoulders,throughthestreetsofasmallcityinFranceermany.Theshopsignsareinalan?guagewhichalterswheniedclosely,MoBELbeingMEUBLESforexample,aizensmuttertothemselveswithdarkvirtuosityamixtureoflanguages.K.isveryied,lookscloselyateverything,attheshops,thegoodsdisplayed,theclothingofthepeople,thetempoofstreetlife,thecitizensthemselves,waboutthem.Whataretheirwaterneeds?

  "I,wisdomismostlygailunch.Atlunch,peopletellyouthings."

  Thenervouseyesofthewaiters.

  Thetallbaldcook,whiteapron,whiteT-shirt,grinningthroughanopeninginthewall.

  "Whyisthatcooklookingatme?"

  UrbanTransportation

  "Thetransportationproblemsofourcitiesandtheirrapidlyexpandingsuburbsarethementandedtransportationproblems?frontingthetry.Intheseheavilypopulatedandindustrializedareas,peoplearedepeonasystemoftransportationthatisatonplexandie.Obsoletefacilitiesandgrowingdemandshavecreatedseeminglyinsolubledifficul?tiesamethodsofdealingwiththesedifficultiesofferlittleprospectofrelief."

  K.PeedwithSadness

  Hehearssomethingplayingonsomeoneelsesradio,inanotherpartofthebuilding.

  Themusiciswretchedlysad;nowhe(barely)hearit,nowitfadesintothewall.

  Heturnsonhisownradio.Thereitis,onhisownradio,thesamemusic.Thesoundfillstheroom.

  KarshofOttawa

  "WesentamantoKarshofOttawaandtoldhimthatweadmiredhisworkverymuch.Especially,Idontknow,theChurchillthingand,youknow,theHemingwaything,andallthat.AoldhimwewaosetupasittingforK.sometimeihatwouldbeveforhim,andhesaidyes,thatwasokay,Junewasokay,andwheredidwewanttohaveitshot,thereorinNewYorkorwhere.Well,thatroblembecausewedidntklywhatK.sschedulewouldbeforJuintheair,sowetentativelysaidNewYorkaroueenth.Andhesaid,thatwasokay,hecoulddothat.Aedtoknowhowmuchtimehecouldhave,andwesaid,well,howmuchtimedoyouneed?Andhesaidhedidntknow,itvariedfromsittertositter.Hesaidsomepeoplewereveryrestlessandthatmadeitdifficulttogetjusttherightshot.Hesaidtherewasoineachsittingthatwas,youknow,thekeyshot,therightone.Hesaidhedhavetosee,wheimecame."

  Dress

  Heislydressedinamahatdoesnotcallattentiontoitself.Thesuitsaresoberlydindarkcolors.Hemustatalltimespresentaoffreshnessdifficulttosustainbecauseoffrequentmovementsfromplacetoplader?ditionswhicharenotalwaysthemostfavorable.Thushegesclothesfrequently,especiallyshirts.Inthecourseofadayhegeshisshirtmanytimes.Therearealwaysextrashirtsabout,inboxes.

  "Whichofyouhastheshirts?"

  AFriendents:K.sAloneness

  "ThethingyouhavetorealizeaboutK.isthatessentiallyhesabsolutelyaloheworld.Theresthisterriblelonelinesswhichpreventspeo?plefromgettingtooclosetohim.Maybeitesfromsomethinginhischildhood,Idontknow.Buthesveryhardtogettoknow,andalotofpeoplewhothinktheyknowhimratherwelldontreallyknowhimatall.Hesayssomethingordoessome?thingthatsurprisesyou,andyourealizethatallalongyoureallydidntknowhimatall.

  "Hehassurprisingfacets.Irememberoncewewereoutinasmallboat.K.ofcoursewasthecap?tain.Shweathercameupandwebegantoheadba.IbeganwaboutpigupalandingandIsaidtohimthatIdidntthinktheanchorwouldhold,withthewindandall.Hejustlookedatme.Thenhesaid:Ofcourseitwillhold.Thatswhatitsfor."

  K.onCrowds

  "Thereareexhaustedcrowdsandvivaciouscrowds.

  "Sometimes,standingthere,Iseheraparticularcrowdisohingortheother.Some?timesthemoodofthecrowdisdisguised,some?timesyouonlyfindoutafteraquarterofanhourwhatsortofcroarticularcrowdis.

  "Andyoutspeaktotheminthesameway.Thevariationshavetobetakenintoat.Youhavetosaysomethingtothemthatismeaningfultotheminthatmood."

  Gallery-going

  K.entersalargegalleryonFifty-seventhStreet,intheFullerBuilding.Hisenteincludessev?eralladiesalemen.Worksbyageometricistareonshow.K.looksattheimmehertheo?reticalpaintings.

  "Well,atleastweknowhehasaruler."

  Thegroupdissolvesinlaughter.Peoplerepeattheremarktooher,laughing.

  Theartist,whohasbeenstandingbehindadealer,regardsK.withhatred.

  K.PuzzledbyHisChildren

  Thechildrenareg.Thereareseveralchil?dren,oneaboutfour,aboy,thenanotherboy,slightlyolder,andalittlegirl,verybeautiful,wear?ingbluejeans,g.Therearevariousobjethegrass,arictrain,apicturebook,aredball,aplasticbucket,aplasticshovel.

  K.frownsatthechildrenwhosedistressissuesfromnosourceimmediatelyavailabletotheeye,whichseemsindeeduncaused,vat,ageneralanguish.K.turnstothemotherofthesechildrenwhoisstandingnearbywearinghip-huggerswhichappeartobemadeoflinkedmarshmallowsstuddedwithdiamondsbutthenIamanotoriouslypoorobserver.

  "Playwiththem,"hesays.

  ThismotheroftelysuggeststhatK.him?self"playwiththem."

  K.picksupthepicturebookandbeginstoreadtothechildren.ButthebookhasaGerma.Ithasbeebehind,perhaps,bysomefnvisitor.helessK.perseveres.

  "AistderAffe,erisstmitderPfote."("AistheApe,heeatswithhisPaw.")

  Thegofthechildrentinues.

  ADream

  etrees.

  Overhead,asteadystreameaircraftwhichresemblekitimplements,breadboards,cookiesheets,ders.

  TheshinyaluminuminstrumentsareontheirwaytopletethebombingofSidi-Madani.

  Afarminthehills.

  Matters(fromanAdministrativeAssistant)

  "Alotofmattersthathadbeenpendingcametoaheadrightaboutthattime,movedtothefrontburhingsweabsolutelyhadtotakecareof.AndwecouldntfindK.Nobodyknewwherehewas.Wehadlookedeverywhere.Hehadjustwith?drawn,madehimselfunavailable.Therewasthisoerthatrobablymorepressingthanalltherestputtogether.Reallycrucial.Wewereallstandingaroundwwhattodo.Weweregettiynervousbecausethisthingwasreally...ThenK.walkedinanddisposedofitwithaquickphonecall.Aquickphonecall!"

  ChildhoodofK.asRecalledbyaFormerTeacher

  "Hewasaveryalertboy,verybright,goodathisstudies,verythh,verystious.Butthatsnotunusual;thatdescribesagoodheboyswhopassthroughhere.Itsnotunusual,thatis,tofindthesequalitieswhichareafterallthequalitiesthatwelookforandenceinthem.WhatwasunusualaboutK.washispassion,somethingveryrareforaboyofthatage--eveniftheyhaveit,theyreusuallyverycarefulnottodisplayitforfearofseemingsoft,girlish.Iremem?ber,though,thatinK.thisparticularattributewasverymarked.Iwouldalmostsaythatitwashisstrocharacteristic."

  SpeakingtoWaiters,He--

  "Thedandelionsaladwithba,Ithink."

  "Therysstafel."

  "Thepoachedduck."

  "Theblackbeanpuree."

  "Thecodfritters."

  K.ExplainsaTeique

  "Itsanexpedientintermsofhownottodestroyasituationwhichhasbeenalongtimegestating,ain,howtobreakitupifitappearsthatthesituationhasged,duriationperiod,intoonewhoseimplicatioquitewhattheywereatthebeginning.WhatImeanisthatinthisbusihingsarestantlyaltering(usuallyforworse)andusuallyyouwanttogivetheim?pressionthatyourenotwatgthisparticularsituationparticularlyclosely,thatyourepayingnospecialattentiontoit,untilyourereadytomakeyourmove.Thatis,itsbesttobesudden,ifyouma.Ofcourseyoutdothatallthetime.Sometimesyourejustpletelywipedout,edout,totaled,aheonlythingtodoisshrugandfetaboutit."

  K.onHisOwnRole

  "SometimesitseemstomethatitdoesntmatterwhatIdo,thatitisenoughtoexist,tositsome?where,inagardenforexample,watgwhateveristobeseehesmallevents.Atothertimes,Imawarethatotherpeople,possiblyagreatnum?berofotherpeople,couldbeaffectedbywhatIdoorfailtodo,thatIhavearesponsibility,asweallhave,tomakethebestpossibleuseofwhatevertalentsIvebeengiven,fortheongood.Itisnotenoughtositinthatgarden,howeverrestfulorpleasurableitmightbe.Theworldisfullofun?solvedproblems,situationsthatdemandcareful,reasonedandintelligenta.InLatinAmerica,forexample."

  AsEntrepreneur

  TheinalcostestimatesftheNorthSeapipelinehavebeenexceededbyasiderablemargin.Everyonewonderswhathewillsayaboutthistretempswhichdoesnotfailtohaveitsdangersforthoseresponsibleforthecostlymiscal?culations,whichareviewedinmanymindsasin?excusable.

  Hesaysonly:"Exceptionallydifficultro?ditions."

  WithYoungPeople

  K.,walkireetsofunknowntowns,findshimselfamongyoungpeople.Youngpeoplelireets,narrowandcurving,whicharetheirs,dedicatedtothem.Theyareeverywhere,restingontheembas,theirguitars,smallradios,longhair.Theysitonthesidewalks,backtoback,headsturostare.Theystandimplacablyoers,indoorways,orleanontheirelbowsinwindows,orsquatinsmallgroupsatthatplacewherethesidewalkmeetsthewallsofbuildings.Thestreetsarefilledwiththeseyoungpeoplewhosaynothing,revealonlyalimitedi,refusetodeclarethemselves.Streetafterstreettainsthem,agreatnumber,moredisplayedasournsaer,rankuponrankstretgintothedis?tance,drawnfromthearcades,theplazas,staring.

  HeDiscussestheFrenchWriter,Poulet

  "ForPoulet,itisnotenoughtospeakofseizingthemoment.Itisratheraquestionof,andIqunizingiantwhichlivesanddies,whichsurgesoutofnothingnessandwhidsindream,ayahofsignificewhichordinarilyattachesonlytothewholeofexistence.

  "ouletisdescribingisherahioraprescriptionbutratherwhathehasdiscoveredintheworkofMarivaux.PoulethastakenuptheMarivaudianandsqueezeditwithbothhandstodiscovertheessenceofwhatmaybecalledtheMarivaudianbeing,ouletinfactcallstheMarivaudianbeing.

  "TheMarivaudianbeingis,acctoPoulet,apastlessfuturelessman,boreveryin?stant.Theinstantsarepointswhichahem?selvesintoaliwhatisimportantistheinstant,nottheliheMarivaudianbeinghasinasensenohistory.Nothingfollowsfromwhathasgonebefore.Heisstantlysurprised.Heotpredicthisowios.Heisstantlybeiakes.Aditionofbreathlessnessanddazzlementsurroundshim.Inse?quenceheexistsiainfreshnesswhichseems,ifImaysayso,verydesirable.ThisfreshnessPoulet,quotingMarivaux,describesverywell."

  K.SavedfromDrowning

  K.ier.Hisflatblackhat,hisblackcape,hisswordareontheshore.Heretainshismask.Hishahesurfaceofthewaterwhichtearsandripsabouthim.Thewhitefoam,thegreehs.Ithrowalihecoilsleapingoutoverthesurfaceofthewater.Hehasmissedit.No,itap?pearsthathehasit.Hisrighthand(swraspstheliIhavethrownhim.Iamonthebank,theropewoundroundmywaist,bracedagainstarock.K.nowhasbothhandsontheline.Ipullhimoutofthewater.Hestandsnowonthebank,gasping.

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