TE23 Double Feature

The Lamentations of Zeno

Ilija Trojanow

should take a moment to remember Nathaniel Hawthorne, who once applied to join Charles Wilkes’ US Exploring Expedition as official historian. His hopes were thwarted, however, after a certain Congressman opposed to his appointment argued that ‘the style in which this gentleman writes is too wordy and ornate to convey a genuine, sensible impression of the atmosphere on the expedition. Furthermore a man so talented and cultivated as the said Mr. Hawthorne will never be able to grasp the national and military significance of any discoveries it may make.’ I found this tidbit in my readings. You should feel fortunate to have free rein to do what your colleague was prevented from doing, even though like him you will probably never be able to grasp the national and military signifi cance of the Antarctic. Therefore: eschew prolixity and stylistic embellishment, and think upon Shackleton and the deprivations he endured.” When I looked up I saw that Jeremy was once again pointing his camcorder at me, I 32

held the paper in front of my chest like a kidnapped hostage, and swore the just-invented Shackleton Oath to uphold the Unadorned Word. Jeremy grinned and panned out away from me through the glass and onto the ocean. He would be welcome on any expedition because his good mood is infectious even when he is pensive. That is a rare talent. Of course he can hardly help summoning old Shackleton, every one of us identifies with the man (all but El Albatros, that is, who can’t get over the fact that Shackleton planned to sell albatross chicks to gourmets in London and New York, his hunger had made them particularly tasty), he is the Good Man of Antarctica, the famous photo of Endurance trapped in the ice is on display in the elevator, and the explorer’s portrait is hanging on the wall in front of the dining room, he could easily be a member of our group, he’d get along well with us, he mistrusted strict hierarchies and valued communality over subordination. Above all he was the only polar explorer 33