Hen’s Teeth And Horse’s Toes (1983) - Plot & Excerpts
It contained some nifty words, and she would call upon us in turn for definitions. I will never forget the spectacle of five kids in a row denying that they knew what “nymphomania” meant—the single word, one may be confident, that everyone had learned with avidity. Sixth in line was the class innocent; she blushed and then gave a straightforward, accurate definition in her sweet, level voice. Bless her for all of us and our cowardly discomfort; I trust that all has gone well for her since last we met on graduation day. Nymphomania titillated me to my pubescent core, but two paired words from the same lesson—anachronism and incongruity—interested me more for the eerie feeling they inspired. Nothing elicits a greater mixture of fascination and distress in me than objects or people that seem to be in the wrong time or place. The little things that offend a sense of order are the most disturbing. Thus, I was stunned in 1965 to discover that Alexander Kerensky was alive, well, and living as a Russian émigré in New York.
What do You think about Hen’s Teeth And Horse’s Toes (1983)?
