More and more weddings

The raccoon went away during the night.

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David is in town for E&S’s wedding.

David: “I just passed my comprehensive exam. Now, all I have to do is write the dissertation.”

JP: “I just wrote a section of my dissertation. The section contains some nudity. I ask the reader to consider a thought-experiment about the world’s most famous clothing-optional swimming pool.”

David: “Um.”

JP: “I’m a character in the thought experiment. It goes like this.”

David (pretending to quote me): “‘Imagine me, nude …’”

JP: “No, no. I am not nude. But I am exposed to people who are nude.”

David (pretending to be a member of my thesis committee): “‘Your degree is withheld.’”

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JP: “What book is that?”

David: “Ian McEwan.”

JP: “Which Ian McEwan?”

David: “The newest one, The Children Act.”

Martin: “Is he the writer of Atonement?”

David: “Yes.”

JP: “He’s also the writer of A Horrible Wedding Night at the Beach.”

(David chuckles.)

Martin: “Is that what it’s called?”

JP: “It’s called On Chesil Beach. But I call it A Horrible Wedding Night at the Beach.”

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Martin & Mary just got back from Florida, where Martin’s brother and Martin’s brother’s wife had a “destination wedding” on the beach. I stayed home and took care of Bianca. In homage to M&M, I bought Finding Florida, one of those liberal, revisionist histories about how awful the United States is. The prose is mighty good. The content is less than charitable (and, I gather, somewhat untruthful). I highly recommend it.

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E&S’s wedding is tomorrow.