“But the few times in his life when the stakes were high and he was put to the test, he had either chickened out or failed. That didn’t bother him because more often than not, Kaspar Benn was genuinely content with things easy for him to obtain—good food, women who said yes more than they said no; stylish clothes that made him look and feel more prosperous and attractive than he was. Somewhere in our lives’ cast of characters most of us know someone like him. These people are fun to be around but not essential. If we don’t see them for months or even years it doesn’t matter. When they show up at a party you think ‘oh good I haven’t seen them for ages.’ But by and large it is difficult to remember when you did see them last or what you talked about. They are effusive in their greetings, entertaining; their stories make you laugh and gasp—lots of flash and fun. They’re sort of like variety shows on Italian TV. You forgot about them quickly after the party. Accused of being superficial by one of his girlfriends, Kaspar said, ‘I make no pretense.’ She responded, ‘No, you make no effort.’
— Jonathan Carroll ( from the new book )
(Source: facebook.com)
