Wednesday 9th September 2009
Anthony Mottram is to dine with Ceausescu family remnants on Saturday. He is flung into a moral dilemma which strikes at the heart of Little Rich Gay life and illuminates my own Smallmeal crisis. Exceptionally, I am removing his outstanding remarks from the Comments department and putting them on the front page. You can imagine, it has not been difficult to stand by a mind of this quality for the last 40 years, even though, given less than half a chance, he would take this blog over entirely.
Mottram says: ‘The path of this blog, I presume, is the moral exploration of rich gaiety. So I have a troublesome question for Edge.
I am travelling now to Bucharest, where on Saturday I shall dine with the residual Ceausescus (you will remember that a few of them were put up against a wall at the end of 1989, an unexpected Christmas gift from an ungrateful people). They are consulting me on their investment in the manufacture of rat poison. The question is, how should a Poor Little Rich Gay comport himself with the families of fallen dictators?
You see, in some ways they resemble us closely: they deplore convention (in their case the conventions of democracy), spurn the masses, are indifferent to suffering (certainly if of others), have a high regard for frockage, retain a sense of entitlement even following eviction from office, demand total and obedient service, possess vast amounts of money, are usually elegant and always haughty, and make careful use of make-up and cosmetic surgery. Do you think it is sufficient acknowledgement of the suffering of millions to adopt a slight frown (say no more than a second or two) as we are introduced?
I must know by Saturday.’
And you shall.
Leave it to others, in organic sandals and non-child-reared cotton, to be moral and self-sacrificing. I notice you do not consider cancelling your dinner with the Ceaus. You need that rat poison deal to fund your Museum apartment in Prague, your daily housekeeper, your three-week holidays in long-haul boutique hotels with your current non-paying kitchen, your kitchen’s designer knickers etc.
Poor Little Rich Gays are called on to add to the gaiety of nations. That is enough. Through this blog those less fortunate can glimpse a glittering life. This is giving.
Earnestness would not suit. There are plenty it does. What’s more, as you point out, Poor Little Rich Gays have much in common with dictators. It was wickedly said, when the Multis first opened their present Riverside apartment, ‘Saddam Hussein would have favoured this decor.’ It’s not true of course. It was just all the marble and onyx that suggested it.
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Mottram’s assessment of the similarities between fallen dictators and poor little rich gays.has nothing to do with poor, little or gay. His remarks are equally pertinent to rich fascists of any sex.
Maybe best to leave Edge and Mottram to their laboured 1930s Mitford fantasy.
You’re both missing the point and I hardly see what the 1930s or the Mitfords have got to do with it. If you want a decade, try the 1890s. There is a curious parallel between poor little rich gays and dictators – the self-invention, the extremes, the lack of boundaries, the camperama, the cruelty. On the other hand, Mottram was using an extreme example to highlight the general, rather compromised moral position which I mention at the end of the posting and the necessity to avoid earnestness.
I once knew a Could-Cutt during my Darlington years. Went out to Africa. Married a Snakk, though not, I think, one of the Norwegian Snakks. Got eaten by a crocodile whilst on safari in the bush. Got exactly what she deserved, I say.
Satire, I think, not fantasy, Miss Toadwine. Laboured maybe!
is that a crossword clue?
Yes, Ms Malcolm. The solution is Two Bitches and a Funeral.
I and Miko coming Cliff Richard London November. We staying two nights London. Have heard of boarding house Bow. beneficent landlord. Is normal, no hanky?
Mottram forgive me but as you well know – you cannot choose your family but you can choose your friends. Not sure how relevant your question is regarding how to behave to the family of the dictator? Surely you will behave like you would with any other business contact?
Edge – you once chose once to be friends with Smallmeal, presumably you had your reasons at the time and during your friendship you had the treats you so craved and wanted from the friendship; if there was more to your friendship than that – then surely you can reconcile? If not, then why not just celebrate the treats you had and move on?
Nice site!