LYDIA DAVIS
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needed a man with more confidence. Certainly, at the same time, given
his extreme sensitivity, he needed a gentler woman.
They receive many Chinese fortunes. The Grouch finds it correcC
that her mentality is "alert, practical and analytical," especially concern–
ing his faults. He finds it correct that "The great fault in women is to
desire to be like men," but it has not been true, so far, most of the time
anyway, that "Someone you care about seeks reconciliation" or that
"she always gets what she wants through her charm and personality."
Certainly the Grouch wanted a strong-willed woman, but not one
quite as strong-willed as Old Mother.
The Grouch puts on some music. Old Mother starts crying. It is a
Haydn piano sonata. He thought she would like it. But when he put it
on and smiled at her, she started crying.
Now they are having an argument about Charpentier and Lully: he
says he no longer plays Charpentier motets when she is at home because
he knows she does not like them.
She says he still plays Lully.
He says it's the Charpentier motets she doesn't like.
She says it's the whole period she doesn't like.
Now she has put her stamps in his stamp box, thinking to be helpful.
But the stamps are of many different denominations and have stuck to–
gether in the damp weather. They argue about the stamps, and then go
on to argue about the argument. She wants to prove he was unfair to
her, since her intentions were good. He wants to prove she was not re–
ally thinking of him. But because they cannot agree on the sequence in
which certain remarks were made, neither one can convince the other.
The Grouch needs attention, but Old Mother pays attention mainly
to
herself She needs attention too, of course, and the Grouch would be
happy to pay attention to her if the circumstances were different. He will
not pay her much attention if she pays him almost none at all.
Old Mother is in the bathroom for an inordinately long time. When
she comes out, the Grouch asks her if she is upset with him. This time,
however, she was only picking raspberry seeds out of her teeth.
