Guestbook Read online

  When the couple visited, it was a bed-and-breakfast. It had a green-painted entrance hall, high and bright, with six white doors leading from it. An oak fireplace sat dark in the daylight. A yellow-handled broom and a plastic bucket stood beside a rectory chair.

  Beyond the hall, the rooms were prettily wallpapered, and objects were placed on dusted tables throughout the house.

  Along the red-carpeted upstairs passage, rows of Penguin paperbacks were organized by color along low shelves.

  In the middle of the night, the woman got out of bed and stood at the window overlooking the lawn. There was a circle of stones in the grass, grass that looked blue in the moonlight. She used the toilet and then sat in a chair opposite the bed in her pajamas. Her husband snored lightly, and she watched him in the grainy dark.

  The first time the couple traveled together, he had told her he loved her as they sipped rum punch and waited for their bags to be picked up in front of the resort. She felt so warm—the tropical island, the tropical drink, the unexpected declaration. Back in New York, at the baggage claim, he stood ten feet in front of her, arms crossed, waiting for their luggage. He could have been by himself. She had a feeling of being deeply ignored. She felt more alone than she had in years. A sadness came over her then, a dawning.

  Over time she came to love the freedom his indifference provided. She felt it gave her liberties of body and heart. She could love not being seen, got used to it, to not being asked anything of herself in return. She came to see her own neediness as lack of freedom. The fights happened when this ice cracked.

  They left Ireland. When they got home, he made them each a quesadilla.

  He ate his. While she unpacked, he absentmindedly ate hers too. An hour later, when she returned for her quesadilla, she saw he had eaten it. When she asked him why, he flew into a rage.

  GYMNOPÉDIES

  12 MARCH 2017 [NIGHT] Barricading bedroom door from inside.

  13 JUNE 2017 [NIGHT] Refusing to bathe.

  25 JUNE 2017 [NIGHT] Asking where everyone is, including her deceased siblings.

  19 JULY 2017 [DAY] Rearranging her things repeatedly.

  20 JULY 2017 [NIGHT] Afraid to sleep because of fear of not waking up.

  21 JULY 2017 [MIDNIGHT] Calling for “Inay” (“Mother” in Tagalog).

  VIDEO

  It was a warm night in early September. The occasion was a four-course dinner and fashion show. The guests mingled in the museum garden, drinking champagne. Two society photographers took pictures of women in their dresses, heads pressed together, and couples, inanimate as they posed. There were seven guests at my table: a playwright, two actors, a director, a producer, a journalist, and me. As the meal progressed, the table began to trade stories, each person speaking in turn while the others listened. One of the actors described a bitter but wisely unsent email. The other recounted a subway ride. The journalist reacted to the day’s news, and the playwright described an uneasy silence. Finally the director told a story.

  Her friend was apartment- and dog-sitting for a couple. One night, from the front room, her friend called the couple’s three dogs. She took a video of them running down the hall to her. The director paused, then described the video.

  She said it began with an empty hall, with two doors visible at the far end. The three dogs were then seen coming down the corridor, their hindquarters wagging. Behind the dogs, a dark figure moved swiftly from one side of the hall to the other.

  The director told us that when her friend saw the figure, she called the police. When they arrived, she showed them the video, but they left without finding anything.

  The director had a copy of the video on her phone, which she pulled from her purse. She held the screen for the producer, one of the actors, and me to see. It was exactly as she had described. I gasped when I saw the figure. The opposite side of the table laughed. Then the director showed it to the other actor, who groaned, eyes wide, at the moment she saw the figure. Finally the video was replayed for the playwright and the journalist. The playwright’s hand flew up to cover her mouth.

  MIDDLE DISTANCE

  I’m at my best at middle distance, he told the psychotherapist. I’m not good with intimacy. He wanted to stretch out on the couch, like in analysis, but she was looking at him from her chair and it was their first meeting and so he didn’t. He felt his phone vibrate in his breast pocket. As his right arm darted across his body to reach inside his jacket, he stopped it and instead put his hand on his knee.

  I’m not very good at physical affection, he said to her. She wrote something down.

  As he left her office afterward, he thought to himself: Where can I get a salami sandwich and a coffee? He didn’t know this part of town. He wanted one of those fancy prepared-food stores with refrigerated rows of creamy salads, sliced squares of lasagna, and stacks of frosted baked goods.

  When he arrived home that afternoon, the light in the apartment was bright and warm. The living room had been tidied by his cleaner. There was a paper towel on the glass coffee table but he ignored it. He walked over to the couch and laid his body the length of it, keeping his shoes on. I’m lonely, he said aloud. Then he said: No, I’m not.

  He closed his eyes and thought of his last therapist. His last therapist had pointed out that he never used the word “we” when talking about his ex-wife. That was when he had decided not to go back. When he decided his therapist sounded like his ex-wife. He didn’t miss her, or his last therapist, in the least. He liked being alone. Not having witnesses.

  He sat up and rubbed his eyes with his palms. He reached for the phone in his breast pocket to look at a number of pictures he’d taken of himself the night before.

  He deleted them all.

  A GEIST

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Bhanurekha Singh, Kyle Frank, Edward Mintz, Lilly Bock

  Private dinner for Lucien Pak at Terro New York, hosted by Bénédicte Orrin

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Edward Mintz

  Kapitan Vodka celebrates the release of “Alone, Forgetting” at Film Center

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Edward Mintz, Catherine Crittendesh

  Preen Crystal presents a listening party for new Petra Weiss album “Portofino” at Conclubina

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Trina Beller, Edward Mintz

  Modern Royale launch at Palmer

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Matteo Finzi, Percy Mills, Edward Mintz

  Dinner for Percy Mills at Cumberland Inn on the Hudson, hosted by Steven Gerebain and Lucy Dehaviland

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Edward Mintz, Lady Kimberly Gough

  Strictly Flora fragrance launch, hosted by Stornoway Brut at Lucky’s

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Marion Key-Harris, Edward Mintz

  Cindy Krug toasts Petal’s new brand director Marion Key-Harris at Omni New York

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Edward Mintz, Felipe Gutiérrez, Leandro Andrade

  Croix d’Espagne dinner for Pablo Castavets, hosted by the Spanish Cultural Council

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Ben Joplin, Edward Mintz

  Dinner for Pabrul Kes at Viz, hosted by Natalya and Mika Yvonerovitch

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Chloe Cwoniak, Edward Mintz, Ed Yates

  Book signing by Rix Dix at Le Bookstore

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Edward Mintz

  Benefit cocktails for patrons of Cawthra Reservoir at The Riley Museum

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Edward Mintz, Valentina Kroop

  Laskina celebrates its tenth anni
versary at Lake Michigan

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Kirsten Mulrooney, Edward Mintz

  Cocktails for Catatonia Pre-Fall at Chocolat

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Edward Mintz, Pico Lendt, WHO AM I?

  Halloween party for Sick Children’s Hospital at Kleinburg Hall

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Leonora Zimmerman, Edward Mintz

  Manuela Rico hosts cocktail party for NYC Psoriasis Association at Leopold

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Sally Mecklespooner, Edward Mintz, Tim Klein

  Dinner and auction for Deppler Farm at Juno

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Jimmy Lotto, Edward Mintz

  Post-show party for “Lordy, Lordy” at the Majestic

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Edward Mintz, Peter Sharp

  “Duck” magazine after-party at Barisotto, LA

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Sonja Kettle, Edward Mintz, Greta Diaz

  The editors of “Loon” celebrate “Margins” by Ponyo Ayelowu at Club Bernishcke

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Edward Mintz, Allerton Heath

  Launch for Osset Black Label at the offices of Lamb Surplus

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Rivera Gibbon-Jones, Edward Mintz

  After-party for J. M. Mugford performance, hosted by Wendy Margaret Brown and John Sirk

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Benno Crespo, Edward Mintz

  Drinks for Leighton Parrish at Club Grange

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Ada Wetherby, Edward Mintz, Binty Brahm, Liz Saville

  Private screening of “Mill House Posset” at the home of Suzan Moore

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Edward Mintz, Edie Bachelor

  Listening party for Mojito at Flume

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Lorrie Booth, Edward Mintz, Ciara Booth

  Celebrating the new Kendrick pop-up bar

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Edward Mintz

  Sachs-Corber X Cola launch party at Illegal

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Edward Mintz, Jake Peretz

  Panel discussion of “Criterion Meridian” at Gallery Medusa

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Joan Gunn, Edward Mintz, Owen von Richtenbach

  Reading and discussion of “Causeth Sath” by Ken Ao, hosted by Icecrush and Firstjet Air

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Edward Mintz, Szilvána Asta

  Intimate 50th birthday dinner for Harry Asta, hosted by Bobo Spumanti at Trattoria Naranzaria

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Edward Mintz, Jedediah Bismarck

  Charity auction for Pets in Need at Dorfenhagen Biergarten

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Veronica Latimer, Edward Mintz

  Garden party in honor of Annabelle Latimer’s third book of poetry, “L.A. Turmeric”

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Edward Mintz

  Arrivals for BFQA Awards at Durham Hall

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Edward Mintz

  Mickey X Roobois pop-up launch party

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Edward Mintz, Jerome Oka

  Pre-concert reception for T-cox at Eugene’s on the Park

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Edward Mintz, Conrad Lord

  After-party for “Coming of Age” at Columbia Gatehouse

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Alan Staniland-Lenton, Marie Greggs, Edward Mintz

  Private dinner honoring Joyce Silvester

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Dr. James Olroyd, Edward Mintz

  Book launch and signing for “Indefensible” by Sophie Dench

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Sonny Smyth, Edward Mintz

  Reception for Sonny Smyth at the residence of Christoph and Anna Marcus

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Edward Mintz, Jane Whittaker, WHO AM I?, Jermaine King

  Rooftop premiere of “Creamer ii” by Jermaine King, hosted by Trefoil Pictures

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Edward Mintz, Teddy Quinn

  Backstage reception for Decoder private listening party at Hotbox

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Edward Mintz, Erich Holzer

  Red-carpet arrivals for “Belle Matinée” at Alice Tully Hall

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Kip Dano, Edward Mintz

  Tropical cocktails with the Anguilla Cultural Council at Spring

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Edward Mintz

  Launch party for Orangerie aperitif at Konigsberg

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Susur Klein, Edward Mintz

  Anniversary celebration for Chez Pluto, at Chez Pluto

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Zaheera Ben-Abbas, Felicia Summerville, Edward Mintz

  Birthday party and presentation of “Constitutionally Yours” at the home of director Jennifer Wiggins

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018

  Edward Mintz

  Special set by DJ Chobani at Club Touchtone

  THE DREAM II

  FROM UPPER LEFT: The house in 2009; the house in 1970; the house in 1938; the house seen from the lawn in 2012.

  The footwell of the Buick.

  The baby.

  A HAUNTED HOUSE

  For Leonard Woolf

  ILLUSTRATIONS

  Plates

  I. Asham House, near Firle in Sussex, July 201232

  II. Asham House before the flood33

  III. Asham House, southeast view, showing one of the drive gates, and the gravel walk on which Nancy Draper saw the couple33

  IV. The summerhouse, facing the walk from the southeast34

  V. The book of pressed flowers found in the summerhouse35

  VI. The Jessop plot, Firle Church42

  VII. Asham House after the flood in 198443

  VIII. Asham House, 1984, showing further damage to the hall and sitting room44

  IX. Asham House, second-floor hallway50

  X. The wall in the hallway where voices were heard50

  XI. Asham House, upstairs bedroom51

  XII. Bedroom, showing the door61

  XIII. The “Blue Room”80

  XIV. A portion of the cellar, showing apple bins100

  XV. The round table in the drawing room, where the book appeared101

  XVI. Asham House, south view, showing the quivering ash beneath which Carl’s book was found102

  XVII. Upstairs bedroom during the Jessops’ residency in 1982103

  XVIII. Upstairs southeast bedroom, where the curtain was seen being drawn104

  XIX. The drawing room window in summer201

  XX. The drawing room window in winter202

  XXI. Mary Jessop, 2009203

  XXII. Frederick Jessop, 2009204

  XXIII. Asham House, north view, showing a second-floor window205

  SIRENA DE GALI

  1950s Italian wool suit.

  $210.00 or best offer

  Vintage woman’s suit in black. Gorgeous bon
ing in peplum. Lined with navy silk, some staining to silk. Label reads: Brazzoni, Roma. In fair condition for its age. Sold as is.

  Looking at it, she thought of the morning interview, the smell of coffee as she passed the vendors on the street, a revolving door to the lobby, the elevator to the sixteenth floor. The receptionist, rude. She would wear red lipstick and tights and brown wedge sandals. These details would be noted. The dress would be immaculately cut; she’d stand straight, taller in the heels. They’d take her seriously. They wouldn’t notice her stutter or know what to think of her.