when_muriel_met_sybren raze tali was lying in the shade where the grass was damp and cool. "she was catching sticks just now," muriel said. "so she's a little knackered. like me. it was lovely weather for a while there, wasn't it?" "it was," i said. "then the sun showed up and decided it had other ideas." she told us she had tea with a friend when it was still a little overcast. "that was at about ten this morning. she has a balcony in her apartment. she never uses it. she's afraid of heights. the poor thing." sybren came striding down the path. he held up his hands. they were empty. "no gifts today," he said. "this time you're the gift," i said. "this is muriel." he smiled at her. "hello muriel." "well, hello to you too. and what's your name?" "this is sybren," i said. "semen," muriel said. "now that's a new one!" sybren chortled. we all broke up laughing. "you did that on purpose," i said. "didn't you?" "no!" muriel said. "i didn't. i swear. what's the name?" "it's sybren," he said. "it's scandinavian." "well," muriel said, "that's what you get for coming up with tricky names like that. but seriously, don't mind me, love. you never know what's going to come out of my mouth. neither do i, really." "we all need to laugh," sybren said. "and that laugh was better than most." "that pretty lady over there is tali," i said, pointing her out to sybren. "beautiful," he said. muriel looked at me, and for a split second she was a nervous child, with all the years of her life flaking off of her face like sunburned skin. "i'll let you talk with your friend," she said. "you're my friend too," i told her. "don't you forget it." she walked away and coaxed tali back onto her feet. "i'm terrible with names," sybren said. "i always have been. you guys are easy. j and j. but hers is already gone. what's her name?" "muriel." "and i'm semen." we laughed again — me with my hands on my knees, while he cradled his heart through the shabby shelter of a cream-coloured shirt. 220728 what's it to you? who go blather from