Wednesday, September 9, 2020

the last book I ever read (Amiable with Big Teeth by Claude McKay, excerpt ten)

from Amiable with Big Teeth by Claude McKay:

It was a small dinner party at Mrs. Witern’s. She never had many people to dinner, because of the state of her husband’s health. Besides Bunchetta and Seraphine, there was Mrs. Abigail Hobison, who was accompanied by Mr. Hall Ming, a young Chinese, and Mr. Montague Claxon. It was a plain dinner, hot broth in cups, a platter full of appetizers (olives, celery, pickles, shrimp, miniature frankfurters), mashed potatoes, boiled carrots and grilled filet of beef.

No kind of liquor was served before or during the dinner. Mr. Witern was once a connoisseur of wines and liquors but he could no longer take any alcoholic drinks because of his physical condition. Out of consideration for him, Mrs. Witern never had any with meals. As his right side was entirely paralysed, Mr. Witern ate with his left hand only. The butler had his meat cut into small pieces before it was placed before him.



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