Frequently I am swept with waves of soft feelings, not hard feelings, toward the people in my life -- the women, the children, the men, family, friends, colleagues, lovers. Sometimes I get so caught up in story telling that my life feels like a movie, i.e., imaginary. Made-up characters acting in an invented plot.
One of my favorite novels, Passage to India by E.M. Forster, is the perfect illustration of the relationship between fact and fiction and how the truth in many matters is ultimately unknowable. The key scene in that book concerns an English woman and an Indian man inside a cave, and what did or did not happen in there. It's a powerful story about forbidden attractions, the consequences of interracial relationships in racist societies, and how "truth” depends on who is doing the telling.
One reason for my melancholy as a writer is that I am feeling sorry for those about whom I write. It's always possible I could unwittingly do them damage, by invading their privacy, or conveying an inappropriate sense of entitlement to elements of their stories that they alone own.
In fact, I should say as clearly as possible that I know these musings of mine are mine alone. No one represented here should be construed to be responsible except me. When it comes to family members, since so many of my kids are great writers, whatever imbalance in our story-telling urge now sits in my favor, the natural order of things dictates they should have many years after I fall silent to set the record straight -- as they see it.
That would please me, I think, if my closest people told their stories of us in whatever form they choose, without regard to what they think I might think of those versions of truth. If it feels like truth to them, that will be good enough for me.
The story telling I try to do here is my attempt to give back, in real time, what better people have given to me. What I have left now are words, and these words are for those I love — especially those who have struggled to love me in return.
HEADLINES:
Trump is leveraging the power of his office to reap profits for family businesses (AP)
When It Comes to Jeffrey Epstein, Trump Says He Is Ready to Defer to the Courts (NYT)
Why Trump Is Struggling to Change the Narrative on Epstein (Politico Mag)
Bleak House. And Senate. (Atlantic)
Trump’s antisemitism task force targets other conservative complaints about colleges (WP)
The rise of masked officers is controversial new ground in American life (AP)
El Salvador sends detained Venezuelans home in swap for Americans (Reuters)
Trump is deporting fewer people than Obama. He’s just louder and meaner. (WP)
Brazil police raid ex-President Bolsonaro’s home, fit ankle tag, citing flight risk concern amid criminal trial (CNN)
Newsom Wants California to Counter Texas on Redistricting (NYT)
An explosion at a Los Angeles law enforcement training facility kills 3 (AP)
At least 30 injured after driver loses consciousness, car plows through crowd in East Hollywood. (ABC)
What’s Going On With Trump’s Ankles? (Slate)
White House shares diagnosis in rare acknowledgement of Trump’s age (WP)
Is the 'Gen Z stare' just a call to look inwards? (NPR)
Elon Musk Is Cashing In on the AI Romance Boom (Bloomberg)
Delta is Using AI to Price Flights, and It Could Change Airfare Forever (Thrifty Traveler)
Rise of the Machines: Inside Hollywood’s AI Civil War (Hollywood Reporter)
Couple's Divorce Stuns Tight-Knit Community Of Manhattan (The Onion)
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