At the Knowlsons'

After meeting Ruby Cohn in London, I went to meet James Knowlson in Reading. He was expecting me at the Beckett International Foundation. And at the BIF I was, reading a book on Beckett, and it was lunch time when everybody except me was out for lunch. I heard a knock on the door, and opening it, I saw a man and a woman standing there. Telling by my Arabian features that I was the Arab of Beckettia, they both said, "You must be Mr Tawfeek", saying "Yes", I added, "You must be Professor and Mrs Knowlson", and they said "Yes". We went to the Senior Common Room for lunch. Ruby had told me that Jim was a non-stop talker and how one day Beckett, being the shy man he was, signaled to her to make Knowlson cease. Indeed, Jim seemed not to have learned the lesson, and so he was doing all the talking--of course, all valuable stuff about Beckett--while Liz and I were all ears and chewing our chicken casserole. Jim concluded that I go visit them at home for a tea afternoon which I did. In the garden, over high tea, we exchanged remarks about Beckett and Liz said how one day Sam kissed her, and turning to Jim, she said, "Sam kissed me, Jim, you do remember", and Jim, in mixed jealousy and pride nodded "Yes". I spent a wonderful time with the Knowlsons, and when alighting from his car he said to me, "Call me Jim"