March 1: Alone in the World, Book Club, Ginger Pears

"Mr. Scrooge it was.  I passed his office window; and as it was not shut up, and he had a candle inside, I could scarcely help seeing him.  His partner lies upon the point of death, I hear; and there he sat alone.  Quite alone in the world, I do believe."

There are several darker passages in A Christmas Carol that don't get much attention.  This passage is one of them, I think.  The speaker is the husband of Scrooge's former fiancee, Belle.  It is many years past the Christmas Belle broke off her engagement with Scrooge.  Scrooge has turned into the miser we all know, and he is, as the passage above indicates, alone in the world.  Quite alone.

It's a glimpse of Scrooge we don't get very often, one that encourages sympathy and compassion.  That "quite' in front of the word "alone" is terrifying in its finality and certainty.  It depicts Scrooge as a man with no friends and no family to speak of.  A man cut off from the human race.

I don't like to be alone very much.  I like having people near by, to joke around, to share my thoughts, to listen to my problems, to celebrate in my joys.  The only time I crave isolation is when I write.  I don't want distractions then.  But, for the most part, I have more in common with Scrooge's nephew, Fred, than with Ebenezer himself.

A great read, folks!

For instance, tonight, I 'm hosting my monthly book club.  People will be showing up with food and books in hand.  We will sit around, laugh, eat, and talk.  It's one of my favorite nights of the month.  This month we read the short story collection This Is Not Your City by Caitlin Horrocks.  It's a great book, and I'm looking forward to talking about it.  I'm also trying out a new recipe.  Ginger pears.  I've never made it before, but it sounds really good.

My book club is made up of family and some of my best friends.  I love seeing each and every person.  Some months, we talk about the book a lot.  Some months, the book is just an excuse to get together and eat.  I'm not sure what kind of month we're going to have this time.

One thing's for sure, though:  Saint Marty will not be quite alone tonight.