And now for something light-hearted, for a change...

I've been pondering Johnny Cash's song "Walk the Line" where he declares: "I find it very, very easy to be true". I'm wondering why this needs saying and emphasising by a double "very" on the "easy". Shouldn't it go without saying that when you love someone, you are true to them, effortlessly?

I'm also wondering whether men, ultimately, are more romantic than women. Here is a short short story that illustrates my point (via Normblog):


Constant (by Mark Whitaker)

Under a moonlit sky he says, 'My love for you is as constant as the North Star.'

She shrugs. 'You're only saying that because you heard it in a song.

''No I'm not. Look at it, it's beautiful. Always there. Something you can rely on.

''It looks a bit flickery to me.

''Oh come on, you know what I mean.

''I think so: that your love is like a ball of hot air that's going to evaporate in a few million years.

''Isn't a few million years enough for you?

''Well it's not very constant.

''OK then. I'll be as constant as... pi.

''You old romantic.'

'I tried the stars but they weren't enough, remember?

''Anyway, pi keeps changing.

''Don't be ridiculous!

''It does. It was in the paper last week. The Germans keep adding bits on to the end of it.

''They're not adding bits. It's not changing. It's fundamental! It's the basis of everything.

''So you say.

''So everyone says!

''I don't.

''No, but that's because you...

''I what? I'm not clever enough?

''Stop tricking me like that. Look, why is this so difficult? I'm only trying to tell you I love you.

''Well maybe you should stick to things we both understand.

''OK then, like what?'

'What's wrong with just being constant? Full stop. Nothing's as constant as that.'

'Right. I'll be constant. Full stop.

''Me too. Come here. I love you, Robert.

''I love you, Constance. But you're a pain in the arse at times."

http://normblog.typepad.com/normblog/2006/07/short ...


I read this story four times in ten minutes when I first encountered it and then a few more times afterwards. And it always makes me smile. I'm quite infatuated with it.

Does anybody else get the feeling that this couple is not going to get bored with one another for a long, long time, maybe even millions of years?