Mortality marches on. Each step reveals our new infirmities and takes us that much closer
to the grave.
But, on the bright side, my local antiques emporium has just reopened and I was able to
buy this spiffy walking stick with a skull handle:
I don’t need it at the moment but no doubt I’ll grow into it
When I bought my stick I was well aware that Darwin had one (very slightly) similar, though his was made out of whalebone and ivory. David Attenborough weeps.
But it took me longer than it should have before I recalled this 1998 self-portrait by Robert Mapplethorpe.
When I next see you, remind me to tell you the story about Robert Mapplethorpe having lunch at Sardi’s in New York, and the cocaine and the screens.
And there's this, of course:
