ACTUALLY.....Yesterday evening my husband and I were discussing a book he was reading. There was a very interesting paragraph that I want to share with you. The Aurthur was James Lee Burke. This short paragraph was from his latest book entitled "Creole Belle" and goes like this:
A man rose from his chair and began shaking hands and introducing himself to the people around him, moving from one table to the next, until he was standing directly in front of ours. His eyes were bluish-gray, his hand soft inside mine when I took it. "It's nice meeting you. I hope both you gentlemen enjoy my little talk". I'm looking forward to it, I replied.
Then I realized he was not actually seeing me or hearing me. His eyes were fixed on the people behind me, or on the wall, or in neutral space, but not on me or on Clete. He saw them in a collective fashion, as part of a purpose, but he didn't see the individual whose hand he was shaking. It was strange to find myself extending my hand to a man who I was convinced did not care whether I lived or died, and I wondered how such a man took in so many people, and I wondered why I was actually holding his hand in mine.
Does this remind you of anyone?