Early this morning just before going to bed I opened True at First Light and read a little. The book's introduction is written by Patrick Hemingway:
"Because of my fortuitous position as number two son, I spent a great deal of time with my father during my later childhood and adolescence, the period of his marriages to Martha Gellhorn and Mary Welsh. I remember one summer when I was thirteen inadvertently walking into Papa's bedroom at the house Marty had found for the two of them in Cuba when they were making love in one of those rather acrobatic ways recommended in manuals for the pursuit of happiness in married life. I immediately withdrew and I don't believe they saw me, but when editing the story presented here and coming across the passage where Papa describes Marty as a simulator, that scene came back to me very vividly, after fifty-six years of forgetfulness. Some simulator."
Marvelous. Patrick concludes his introduction:
"Only Hemingway could have licked his unfinished draft into the Ursus horribilis it might have been. What I offer in True at First Light is a child's teddy bear. I will take it to bed now always and having laid myself down to sleep and prayed the Lord my soul to keep, if I die before I wake, I will pray the Lord my soul to take and God bless you, Papa."
Perfect. So moving. My oh my, those Hemingways could write. And with that I laid my ownself down to sleep. Happy Father's Day, Papa.
"Because of my fortuitous position as number two son, I spent a great deal of time with my father during my later childhood and adolescence, the period of his marriages to Martha Gellhorn and Mary Welsh. I remember one summer when I was thirteen inadvertently walking into Papa's bedroom at the house Marty had found for the two of them in Cuba when they were making love in one of those rather acrobatic ways recommended in manuals for the pursuit of happiness in married life. I immediately withdrew and I don't believe they saw me, but when editing the story presented here and coming across the passage where Papa describes Marty as a simulator, that scene came back to me very vividly, after fifty-six years of forgetfulness. Some simulator."
Marvelous. Patrick concludes his introduction:
"Only Hemingway could have licked his unfinished draft into the Ursus horribilis it might have been. What I offer in True at First Light is a child's teddy bear. I will take it to bed now always and having laid myself down to sleep and prayed the Lord my soul to keep, if I die before I wake, I will pray the Lord my soul to take and God bless you, Papa."
Perfect. So moving. My oh my, those Hemingways could write. And with that I laid my ownself down to sleep. Happy Father's Day, Papa.
