MALCOLM BRADBURY

The History Man - fragments
 

The Kirks are a modern couple, and believe in dividing all tasks equally down the middle, half for you, half for me, like splitting an orange, so that both get involved, and neither gets exploited. When they have finished on the telephone, they sit in the canvas chairs again, and Barbara says, 'You buy the drinks, I'll buy the food,' and the party is all ready. So they go upstairs, to the kitchen, and here, side by side, wearing similar butcher's aprons, they prepare the dinner. The children run in and out, in their pyjamas; Anne Petty comes in, and offers to make dessert. Then they all sit at the table and eat the meal they have prepared; Anne Petty puts the children to bed, and the Kirks sit down in the living-room with their coffee, and watch television. It is unusual for them to be so together; they dwell on their amazement. Later on they go upstairs to bed together and, standing on opposite sides of the bed, undress together. They turn down the duvet; they switch on the spotlight over the bed; they touch each other, and make love together. The faces and bodies they have invented to populate their party come into the bedroom with them and join in the fun. Afterwards the light shines down on them, and Barbara says to Howard, 'I'm just afraid I'm losing some of my enjoyment.'

Crăciun Reliana Andra

Malcolm Bradbury
 

Familia Kirk formeaza un cuplu modern care crede in impartirea sarcinilor in mod egal, jumatate tie, jumatate mie, ca si cum ai desface o portocala, astfel incat amandoi sa se implice si nici unul sa nu fie exploatat. Cand au terminat de vorbit de telefon, se aseaza din nou in scaunele de panza si Barbara spune:
-- Tu cumperi bautura, eu cumpar mancarea.
Petrecerea e gata pregatita. Asa ca se duc la etaj, la bucatarie, unde gatesc cina impreuna, purtand sorturi similare. Copiii alearga de colo-colo, imbracati in pijamale. Anne Petty intra si se ofera sa faca ea desertul. Apoi stau cu totii la masa si mananca ce au preparat. Anne Petty ii duce pe copii la culcare, iar familia Kirk ramane in sufragerie sa-si bea cafeaua uitandu-se la televizor. E ceva neobisnuit pentru ei sa stea atata impreuna; staruie amandoi in uluire. Mai tarziu se duc impreuna la culcare si se dezbraca tot impreuna, fiecare pe partea lui de pat. Intorc cuvertura si aprind veioza de la capatul patului. Se ating unul pe altul si fac dragoste. Chipurile si trupurile celor pe care i-au invitat la petrecere patrund in dormitor sa ia parte la distractie alaturi de ei. Dupa aceea, lumina bate pe ei, iar Barbara ii spune lui Howard:
-- Ma tem ca imi cam pierd entuziasmul.