July 21-C, 2022

I am reading Frederich Nietzsche
("The Birth of Tragedy")
and Arthur Schopenhauer  
("The World as Will and Representation")
simultaneously,
with each alternating as comic relief 
to the other.

Every time I open either,
I experience an immediate flashback
to the Kevin Kline character Otto
in "A Fish Called Wanda,"
acknowledge the similarities,
and dig in.

Though their works have been translated
into English,
I have to translate the translations,
and vault over the nuances of time and place,
in trying to relate my world to theirs.

In doing so, I watch all of the pertinent
YouTube videos on each author
and both books
in order to make as much sense as possible
of what I am reading.

And as I do so,
I relate all of it,
insofar as I am able,
to my situation in this here/now,
and respond to them 
out of my own world and world view.

It is as though I am designing
my own course of study,
and working my way through my
"reclining years"
in the company of people 
who have earned the respect of generations.

At the very least, 
it beats Bridge, 
Shuffle Board,
and Pickleball.
And keeps me off the streets.

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