Overtom's Weblog

SECOND-HAND BOOK (10 august 2004)

The other day, I found a second-hand book by Ed McBain, entitled There Was A Little Girl.

It had obviously been in the possession of someone named R.Geus because his or her name had been written on the first page, along with a date: 29 July 1995.

What I found quite charming was a note on the last page of the book:

... as an intermezzo in my reading about the Mayas, I read this masterpiece by McBain, which is sheer enjoyment -- 10 Agust 1995 (R)

Last week, I read this book. Although I don't know R.Geus, I do tend to agree with him (or her).

Instead of elaborating on why I agree with R.Geus, I'll quote one page which describes what it's like to be a dope addict.

When you're on dope, you do everything there is to do, you know people you'd never wanted to know before, you learn to despise yourself for what you are doing to yourself. You learn very quickly to lie, and almost as quickly to steal. Male or female, you learn that you can always barter sex for the drugs you need to sustain yourself. Well, not yourself, really. Not really yourself. This stranger you're supporting is merely someone else inhabiting your body, clamoring inside your body for what this stranger needs to survive. If lying and stealing are not enough to satisfy this stranger inside you, then you must sometimes physically hurt people to get what you need. Hurt them badly, take from them what you need to buy cocaine to satisfy the stranger residing somewhere inside this body of yours that somehow looks the same on the outside -- oh, a little thinner perhaps, a trifle gaunt, in fact; a somewhat driven, almost haunted look in the eyes; the mouth a little tight, perhaps even a bit drawn -- a body you know has been confiscated by this stranger inside, a body being abused by this stranger you would not spit upon if you were sober.
The stranger you would not spit upon is yourself.

Needless, to say, there is much more in the book, suspense, wisdom and lots of humor. But weblogs should not be too long.

So I hope you'll return to read the next one.