Because sometimes it's just about the silly little things.
In homage to my current book (Michael Palin's Hemingway Adventure) -- not to say current need to stop brooding over the fact that PopMatters still hasn't gotten back to me regarding their offer to sign me on -- I present a couple of my favourite quotes from Patrick McManus' lovely little offhand parody, Down and Way Out in Brazil, set during a promotional fishing trip:
The Old Man laughed sardonically, which is not easy when gulping Aka-Seltzer. He explained the probable scenario that had led to the threat on their lives: Carlos' company, OmbraTour, had ordered that the six Americans be 'taken care of'' while they were in Rio.
Carlos nodded. "How do you want it done?"
"The usual Brazilian way," the boss said. "Party them to death."...
...After that, the Old Man could see that Sipe was even worse than he thought, and decided to finish off both quarterbacks by doing his impersonation of Howard Cosell... his Cosell usually resulted in a clean kill, but not always. Sometimes he had to track the wounded into the bush, and they would charge him, coming very fast and mean, and he would have to drop them with his Johnny Carson at close range...
..."Tomorrow you can go fishing," [Carlos] said. "Usually Americans do not survive nine Brazillian parties in a row, but you have. You have beaten me fairly and honourably, and tomorrow, you can go fishing."
"Good," the Old Man said. "I have been in Brazil eighty-four days now without catching either a wink or a fish."
"You have been in Brazil only three days," Carlos corrected him. "But tomorrow you will catch many fish."...
..At noon, the guides took the Americans back to the fishing camp, where they had piranha soup. Which was very good, and had just a tiny bite to it.
The Old Man laughed sardonically, which is not easy when gulping Aka-Seltzer. He explained the probable scenario that had led to the threat on their lives: Carlos' company, OmbraTour, had ordered that the six Americans be 'taken care of'' while they were in Rio.
Carlos nodded. "How do you want it done?"
"The usual Brazilian way," the boss said. "Party them to death."...
...After that, the Old Man could see that Sipe was even worse than he thought, and decided to finish off both quarterbacks by doing his impersonation of Howard Cosell... his Cosell usually resulted in a clean kill, but not always. Sometimes he had to track the wounded into the bush, and they would charge him, coming very fast and mean, and he would have to drop them with his Johnny Carson at close range...
..."Tomorrow you can go fishing," [Carlos] said. "Usually Americans do not survive nine Brazillian parties in a row, but you have. You have beaten me fairly and honourably, and tomorrow, you can go fishing."
"Good," the Old Man said. "I have been in Brazil eighty-four days now without catching either a wink or a fish."
"You have been in Brazil only three days," Carlos corrected him. "But tomorrow you will catch many fish."...
..At noon, the guides took the Americans back to the fishing camp, where they had piranha soup. Which was very good, and had just a tiny bite to it.