Friday evening I went to a talk at St. Mary’s University by the Irish writer, Colm Toibin. It was titled The Reverse Side of the Picture: How to Make Fiction from Truth and below that title it said: An evening with Colm Toibin. He is, without a doubt, a most interesting person. An amazing face that looks to me like it is molded out of soft clay, very malleable. He talked a little about his reasons for the title, about looking behind the picture, how this makes fiction as it is not the picture we see/experience. He read from his new novel, still in process, and also a story he wrote about a priest’s indiscretions with young boys and it’s effect on the priest’s mother. A strong story.
Yet I walked away wanting more. I would have liked to hear more about Toibin’s life, how he feels about it, who he hangs out with, what he reads, even what he has for breakfast, if anything. But apparently that was left for a few select people. One of them being my Irish friend Sean (who will be staying here with Lila next week when I go to visit Tamar and family) who teaches Irish Studies at St. Mary’s. Sean told me he stayed up until the wee hours talking and drinking with Toibin. Irish conversation that he, Sean, misses here in Canada. I’m not sure what he means, not having been in Ireland, but Irish humor and view of life must definitely be unique. I am looking forward to asking Sean more about this.
I suppose it is similar to the New York flavor that I don’t find here often; it’s only in people who have lived a long time in New York. Something Tamar missed so much in Los Angeles. I don’t miss it myself, partly because I do get injections often enough for me when I visit, but also my life here is what I need right now. And I do travel a fair bit. It’s something to think about, for sure.