Back to Canada (1978)
During my later, longer visit, my impression of the city was different though not necessarily any more accurate. . . The second time around everything seemed less frighteningly grand. I do not wish to imply that, during one short year, the glory of Canada had faded. All that happened was that I inhabited a slightly cheaper part of town. . . I stayed at the Waldorf-Astoria which, contrary to what its hyphenated name might lead guests to suppose, was quite unpretentious. . .
I appeared at the Workshop Theater to which I traveled by taxi but only to show that I could.
As always when not in my hotel room or on stage, I made sorties to various television and radio stations. Canadians are very conscious of the power of publicity. In fourteen days I was interviewed twenty-one times. . . In between these professional activities, I just managed visits to two of my spies in Canada.
One of these was the woman who, in England twenty long, dark years before, had ruled the display firm where I had painted the faces of four thousand dolls.
The other spy is the woman to whom, when she lived in Crouch End, we tried to bring notoriety by writing television plays in her name.
Now that I habitually travel distances so much greater than formerly I would have dared or could have afforded, I am often reunited with people whom I have not seen for huge stretches of time. The changes that the years have wrought in them are consequently more obvious. My friends usually seem to have grown calmer. This is a development that I applaud but, . . they must find me more feverish - a suspicion recently turned into conviction by a letter received from a friend in France. It contained the warning: 'Try not to start wanting things.' . .
I doubt that I shall ever want things, but, now that I am free, there is no limit to my appetite for events and people.
I appeared at the Workshop Theater to which I traveled by taxi but only to show that I could.
As always when not in my hotel room or on stage, I made sorties to various television and radio stations. Canadians are very conscious of the power of publicity. In fourteen days I was interviewed twenty-one times. . . In between these professional activities, I just managed visits to two of my spies in Canada.
One of these was the woman who, in England twenty long, dark years before, had ruled the display firm where I had painted the faces of four thousand dolls.
The other spy is the woman to whom, when she lived in Crouch End, we tried to bring notoriety by writing television plays in her name.
Now that I habitually travel distances so much greater than formerly I would have dared or could have afforded, I am often reunited with people whom I have not seen for huge stretches of time. The changes that the years have wrought in them are consequently more obvious. My friends usually seem to have grown calmer. This is a development that I applaud but, . . they must find me more feverish - a suspicion recently turned into conviction by a letter received from a friend in France. It contained the warning: 'Try not to start wanting things.' . .
I doubt that I shall ever want things, but, now that I am free, there is no limit to my appetite for events and people.