Saturday, March 12, 2016
A SHORT HISTORY
I
think that one day I shall write an essay entitled “A Short History of All the
Academics who Ever Lived, even though We Wish They Hadn’t”. It will be lovelier
than a tree. I probably won’t write it until after I’m dead and gone, as dead
writers are known to write the shortest essays. The essay will contain only one
sentence: “And now it’s time to say good-bye.” This won’t prevent people from
misquoting me. They will say I wrote, “It’s never time to say good-bye,” though
some will dispute that and claim it was “There’s never enough time to say
good-bye.” They’re both wrong. So I want it clearly on the record now that I
never said “It’s never time” or “There’s never enough time.” What I actually
said (or, will say, when I write it) is “And now it’s time to say good-bye.” Of
course, properly speaking, it isn’t possible to quote or misquote an essay that
has not yet been written. So we, or actually I, am getting ahead of myself.
That doesn’t matter. It’s never too soon to set the record straight. Essays
come and essays go. Misquotations live forever. And not only misquotations, but
all sorts of misrepresentations. Academics know this better than anyone. That’s
why they do it. None of this, however, will be in my essay, which will be only
the one sentence. I won’t repeat it. A pity that this summary of my simple
essay is longer than the essay itself, but that’s to be expected from a still
living writer who can’t find the time to shut up.
©
2016 Leon Zitzer
