Little Known Facts

Epigram by Callimachus,
310-240 BCE

Cleombrotus and Ambracian said "Goodbye, sun"
and jumped straight down to Hades from a high wall.
He'd seen no evil worth dying for. He'd simply taken in
the whole of Plato's treatise on the soul.
—Translated by Edmund Keeley

Taxiing from a sick child to another just finishing school, I stood, backed up into a nook between the door, and the Metro seats, having picked up an article on Tolstoy once again in the New York Review of Books, I noticed this passage.

With little time to spare between errands, my bowels tightened their grip on me. I would only be gone four days, and the flight was also only an hour, but I would be gone, and I wasn't so sure it was necessary for me to leave my embedded situation here even for that long. Who would I meet. What will we talk about. Will I feel ill. Will my feet tire of scouring the little known city. Do I have the right clothes and shoes. Should I bother with jewelry. Should I even be going at all? After all, I haven't seen most of my family members in close to two years.

Will my knees collapse after walking around in even the smallest heel. Is my body made for navigating a city for four days on my own. How will I manage. I already felt dizzy a few times today, but it's probably nothing. None-the-less, my suitcase is packed. I didn't over pack too badly this time, but I gave myself some selection. Of course, I have the suitcase all to myself this time, and don't have to share. Still, I think I'm only taking a few things too many. I wasn't sure about my running shoes, but I guess I'll wear them, and bring a better looking less comfortable pair for dinner. Running shoes aren't the greatest fashion statement, but they're kind to my feet, knees, and back.

I asked everyone's opinion here on which handbag to take. My daughter sided with the big brown leather one with a rounded shape, and a short strap, and my son with the pleated Turkish Gucci. I'd like to remain loyal to both of them and take both.