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Hold every ht of thine awareness, each its true and due fulfillment

—Thomas Mann, The Beloved Returns

Prelude

Malcolives me a tape recorder

He says, “You’ve got to talk your life”

“I’d rather live the now than talk about the was”

Malcolm says, “Not all of it Just the … you know”

“I’m to talk about the you know?”

Malcolm says, “People need to hear it”

“What people?”

Malcolm says, “Everybody These are sad times”

“I can’t change the times”

Malcolm says, “It’s a sad world Lift it a little”

“You want me to leave out all the dark stuff?”

Malcolm says, “No, man You need the dark stuff”

“Oh, I don’t need it Not me”

Malcolhter”

“So when I’ about the you know—then what?”

Malcolm says, “You make it a book”

“You going to read this book?”

Malcolm says, “Mostly Parts of it I wouldn’t be able to see clear enough to read”