Member-only story
an Art of Dying fragment
What with the Light Experience and me and Lisa a comfortable item these days, I had pretty much put Marie (fiancé just a few months ago, mind you) out of my mind.
For one, I knew — in my bones if nowhere else — that Marie had not, as promised from the bottom of mutual hearts before she left, remained faithful to me in London (a notion that she later verified as accurate), and based on that I had given her up for lost while I, in turn, then proceeded in the spirit of reciprocation (with Lisa).
For two, I no longer wanted to get married, period. In fact, my last letter to Marie in London had said, quoting (in English) Mike Heron, “I don’t need a wife, living the timeless life.” Now, whether that letter speeded up her return or not, I have no idea, but she did come back to Sweden shortly thereafter.
Then again, she was two months overdue at this point and may well have planned to come home then anyway. Be that as it may, I did mean it: Don’t bother, said those lines, don’t bother to come back, I’m living a timeless life, and I don’t need a wife, I don’t need you.
Yes, I really meant that. I posted the letter and then thought no more about it or her. My outlook (I wouldn’t go so far as to say plan) was to stay with Lisa and see where life would take us. I had no definite notions in any direction. I…
