3 April 1957
If I were to write some short stories, what would be the basis of them. Here are a few ideas:
The idea of the woman who throws out furniture, buys new furniture – to serve whom? Her Jones she wants to impress (Hitting at people who are pursuing some intangible person to impress: Lydia, Dada, Helen Telisman – people who are trying to impress those who we think are trying to impress us. The will of the wisp we are chasing – the mechanical rabbit – why? We don’t know – it is just the thing to do. We are not on firm ground but chasing elusive notions. The essence is value – what really is important to a happy existence – the practical utilitarian parts of life – the material things that make life more livable – not the ornamental. The kindly considered view of life’s tragedies, sorrows, and happinesses which have nothing to do with fancy clothes and ornamentation – Dada – Mrs. Krohngold. The neglect of love and kindly interest and attention, not to the material, but the spiritual needs of your fellow human.) One should not neglect the material aspects of life, but one feels abominably when one neglects the spiritual – the kindly, humane aspects of life: loving interest for the deeper human needs.
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