John Irby's Blog - Posts Tagged "philip-roth"
Farewell Tour
“The plan goes like this,” novelist Philip Roth explains. “Your grandparents die. And then in time your parents die. The truly startling thing is that your friends start to die. That’s not in the plan.”
my recent return to Seattle prompted several friends, family members, and former students to inquire of me, "why are you calling it a "Farewell Tour?"
in the last two years i've lost a handful of former high school friends and close colleagues from work.
despite my naturally optimistic and generally sunny outlook on life, i cannot continue to ignore that the years are piling up.
from a 15th century play titled "Everyman" there is a most poignant line which rings true to me now: "Oh, Death, thou comest when i had thee least in mind."
i desperately needed to see some close friends, all people i love, family members, most of whom i love, and Seattle and Bothell, the villages i will always love.
like with Paul Simon, these stories i write, may be the last songs i sing.
now you know.
John E. Irby
May 27, 2018
my recent return to Seattle prompted several friends, family members, and former students to inquire of me, "why are you calling it a "Farewell Tour?"
in the last two years i've lost a handful of former high school friends and close colleagues from work.
despite my naturally optimistic and generally sunny outlook on life, i cannot continue to ignore that the years are piling up.
from a 15th century play titled "Everyman" there is a most poignant line which rings true to me now: "Oh, Death, thou comest when i had thee least in mind."
i desperately needed to see some close friends, all people i love, family members, most of whom i love, and Seattle and Bothell, the villages i will always love.
like with Paul Simon, these stories i write, may be the last songs i sing.
now you know.
John E. Irby
May 27, 2018
