Rog and Von over a few glasses of snoot. Artwork is a picture in the bar:
Rog: Why did you do it?
Von: Do what?
Rog: Why did you pretend you still knew something?
Von: I don't know.
Rog: I mean, what did you have to gain?
Von: I said I don't know.
Rog: Seven times?
Von: Yeah.
Rog: For Hyneria?
Von: What?
Rog: Did you do it for Hyneria?
Von: Janus no.
Rog: Really?
Von: Really.
Rog: For the Tao then?
Von: No.
Rog: Damn Von. You gave up your son. Not for Hyneria. Not for the Tao.
Von: What's your point?
Rog: I just don't understand it.
Von: Then shut the frail up.
Rog: (after a slight pause) I'm sorry Von.
Von: Apology accepted.
Rog: (fills both their glasses)
Von: You know what?
Rog: What?
Von: I think you should frail Yul.
Rog: You do. (laughter)
Von: Yeah.
Rog: You wanna watch?
Von: Frail no. I want my boy to have somebody to play with. Janus.
Rog: (smiles)
Von: And I want you to understand what it is like to have a child.
7 comments:
Great image to accompany the dialogue :)
This chapter summons similar thoughts as the one below in as much as no other will ever know completely who we are or see things precisely as we see them. Decisions made, actions taken, in the moment, as that person is in the moment, in the midst of the situation, and though we may imagine at times how we might react, how we might think, one can never know unless one really knows. Even Von does not know now why he did then. As with the Kyra chapter, this chapter highlights relations for different reasons, honesty for different reasons. Here we have a pair where questions can be asked and I wanted a better way to say this but forgiveness easily given. A lesser relationship and the offence may prevailed.
Under the influence of snoot, one may wonder, one may think that explanation could be neat, that it would not generate further questions. Perfect flow in the dialogue as always, so easy to envision them sitting at the bar, speaking these words, I imagine Rog bent over his glass, his back curved, his knees bent, facing front, and Von facing more toward Rog, :-), this was just to illustrate the richness of your description and how through the spoken word one imagines first the sound, the movement, stance, surroundings, the entire scene. These last two chapters are perfectly balanced, and almost as though Von has found a semblance of peace, in not being able comprehend his own actions, this I read in his quote.
These three chapters have been so very much better than these three comments would suggest. Each uniquely brilliant.
Thanks Deb. :-)
Sunshine, I was very relieved to hear Von say he didn't know why he did what he did since I'd been racking my brains trying to understand his motivation. He alluded to honor at one point and I think, at the time, he did it not for the Tao, but for the other members of the Order. Then again, he has also alluded that just stupid pride got in the way and it may be as simple as that--just pride, the pride not to break. Yet, from what we see here, even for Von, the source of the river has not been found, and, like most things, is probably a combination of several factors brewing up a mix in the moment that is hard to pick apart years later. Think back on your own life and decisions you made twenty years ago. How clearly do you trust your memory as to the 'why' on issues that could have had multiple 'whys?'
And, of course, Von also has years of replaying the events in his mind and with each replaying, with each reproduction, the actual event becomes fainter as recreation sits on recreation on recreation on top of recreation. How many times can you clone something before the clone deviates from the original? Especially if the original (memory in this case) was somewhat ambiguous not to mention tampered with. To erase the memory of Ceru would imply that they would have also had to erase the memories of him remembering that they were taking his memories away. And, there, that is, perhaps, the problem Von has. At the end of the day, he can't remember why he resisted because he has not those memories. And, as we see here, Rog touches that nerve and asks the very pointed question that Von can't answer. Maybe, just maybe, that is what is happening here. ;-)
He is wishing understanding (through fatherhood) on Rog that he won't ask such flippant questions, am I right?
Like 'walk a mile in my shoes'?
And I think Rog should frail Yul, too. And I don't want to watch either.
:)
Jen, you are absolutely right on both accounts. And your last comment is making me blush. :-D
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