“The __ and the __”

“Book titles, great,” file under.

(Source.)

In the same league as:

“The Beautiful and the Damned” (Fitzgerald)

“The Power and the Glory” (Greene)

“The Drowned and the Saved” (Levi)

“The Naked and the Dead” (Mailer)

“The Gutter and the Grave” (McBain)

“The Nice and the Good” (Murdoch)

This template deserves a revival. How about:

The TRUSTY
and the
SUS

Yesterday was one of reiterated puking by little Daniel. He has my sympathy, but he’d have more if he’d used his bucket instead of, you know, our best furniture.

The BUCKET
and the
COUCH

My compatriot, Pervis Estupiñán, scored a nice goal for Brighton today.

Gatsby

The nation rejoices: Castillo’s ligament isn’t torn. Though he won’t play for a couple of weeks, he’ll be included in our World Cup roster.

The score of our last warm-up, against England: 2 to 2.

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Martin and I watch the new Gatsby movie. (He might show it to his highschoolers.) We take turns cringing. … Though I’ve read the book twice, and seen an opera of it, I hardly remember the story. What I notice this time is how Gatsby keeps on repeating the phrase “old sport.” (I recall a similar faux pas by a character in From Russia with Love, the Bond novel. Is Fleming spoofing Fitzgerald?) … Downtown, Sabby (the male) says of a pedestrian: “There goes the Gatsby of South Bend.” What a sad description to be known by! And how ridiculous that I, so removed from the local “scene,” should know exactly who that person is. … Reputation is a horrid thing. When I’m introduced to new people, they look startled — and then they say they know my reputation. Those are the words they use. Nothing makes me queasier.

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

“Come, meet Bianca,” I say to Cristian. The little beast is resting on a chair. She raises her chin, and Cristian strokes it. “You are beautiful,” he tells her. “At last I meet this cat — the Internet sensation.”

(This photo is nothing special; but with a laptop camera it’s the best I can do to show Bianca sleeping in her box.)