4 lovely quotes from Gore Vidal, interviewed on BBC Radio 4.

“Southern ladies know everything…
They’re born knowing everything.
They are born unshocked.”


“Senile diabetes – the (American doctors) were somewhat rude about it. ‘Mature onset’ diabetes… hm, they (Brits) always have a name for it!”


A story about Macmillan, strait-laced English Prime Minister, meeting M & Mme Charles de Gaulle…

Mac: “What does madame look forward to in retirement from public life?”
Madame:….“A penis.”
Mac: “Oh. Aah. Yes. Yes, well, I, uh,… yes, suppose….”
The words crumble in his mouth. De Gaulle leans across -
De Gaulle: “She means happiness!”


And one of his Grandma’s sayings:
“You know, you’ve got to be careful not to stir up more snakes than you can kill!”

which I would like to suggest as an aphorism dedicated to fellow awaders


This reminds me of that saying by the inimitable WC Fields:

“Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite – furthermore, always carry a small snake.”

New and old hands, bless you all: keep those snakes loose and climbing all sorts of ladders.