PEACE: Gift Exchange

Dave Tallman · 24 Apr 2008, 04:14 · from 2008-April.txt.gz

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From: davetallman at msn.com (Dave Tallman)
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:14:18 -0600
Subject: (urth)  PEACE: Gift Exchange
Message-ID: <4810091A.1040700 at gmail.com>

*Roy C. Lackey wrote:*
> Wolfe was in his early forties when he wrote that, so he wasn't speaking
> from personal experience. My experience is just the opposite.

These are Wolfe's characters, so they'll do as he thinks they will. But here we have Weer projecting his experience on Elliot; he could be right about himself and wrong about the other man.

If you are right then some of the malice I attributed to Della seems to transfer to Elliot. Even if he doesn't care what his daughter thinks, he knows that Mab does. Publicly shaming her is not a great idea.

It looks like their affair has being going on for a while, and it may even be why Mab's husband left her. The switch would have to be a spur-of-the-moment whim, since he already told his grandson who got what. What if the kid blabs? This doesn't add up for me.

On the other hand, Della is a rich woman. She could easily buy herself pearls just as nice as any he gave her. She might well resent the attempt to buy her affection after flaunting his relationship in front of her and her young son. The switch punishes both her father and Mab.

I think she might well be this mean. "Fly swiftly, Princess Little Bird," wasn't the nicest thing to say to a heavy woman.

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