Anti-Climacus

QUOTE: Personal content, I'm afraid, David, so you may wish to move on. What comes before that last Martin Amis thing I quoted:

"Dear Jules

I was going to write to you and say something like:

Twelve years ago, you rang me up and said, "Mart, tell me to fuck off and everything if you want--but have you left Antonia?' As it happened, I went back to Antonia, that time, twelve years ago. But I liked the way you framed the question. It was characteristic.

I was then going to say something like:

Jules, tell me to fuck off and everything if you like--but try and stay my friend, and try to help me be a friend to Pat.

Now I have your answer before I asked my question. I will call you in a while-- quite a long while. I'll miss you.

Martin"