4 - The Old Friend

(67) novel-like feel here all of a sudden - she focuses attention on her clumsiness - trying to shoo a fly while spilling coffee on herself - while M talks - I think this would have been a good thing to use throughout the book

(64-7) good - H goes to a funeral where the deceased lays on the ground, dressed up - H then recalls the recent funeral of her grandmother - why is this good She is opening up - no cliches or generalizations, simply "I remembered standing on front of the casket during viewing hours, wanting to make some special gesture of parting, but I couldn't lay a hand on Granny. I could look at death, in a sky blue dress, but could not touch it." (66) - honesty, no matter how naive, is best

(67) more - she danced with the mourners

(79) attends a Catholic mass: "It appeared that Catholicism had picked up a distinct Malian flavor."

(81-3) M's salary taken by father-in-law