h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

DEATH: - There was a merchant in Bagdad who sent his servant to market to buy provisions and in a little while the servant came back, white and trembling, and said, "Master, just now when I was in the marketplace I was jostled by a woman in the crowd and when I turned I saw it was Death that jostled me. She looked at me and made a threatening gesture, now, lend me your horse, and I will ride away from this city and avoid my fate. I will go to Samarra and there Death will not find me".

- The merchant lent him his horse, and the servant mounted it, and he dug his spurs in its flanks and as fast as the horse could gallop he went. Then the merchant went down to the marketplace and he saw me standing in the crowd and he came to me and said, "Why did you make a threating getsture to my servant when you saw him this morning?" "That was not a threatening gesture", I said, "it was only a start of surprise. I was astonished to see him in Bagdad, for I had an appointment with him tonight in Samarra."

(ancient Mesopotanian story as retold by W. Somerset Maugham [1933])

The Edited Guide mentions "Appointment in Samarra" in two entries:


http://h2g2.com/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A137882

http://h2g2.com/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A21722915

Trouble is, it isn't Maugham's version that is mentioned. Rather, it's John O'Hara's novel by that title, published the year *after* Maugham's story.

Of course, O'Hara transposes the situation and characters to the fictional town of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and makes the main character a wealthy car dealer named Julian English who is about to go into freefall by damaging his reputation, his business, and his relationship with his wife over just three days. His original title -- "The Infernal grove" -- was rejected by his publisher. Dorothy Parker showed him Maugham's story, and the publisher was willing to use "Appointment in Samarra" for O'Hara's book.

Thanks, paulh

I was in a bit of a hurry and decided to copypaste for later use. I knew a little about O'Hara's book title, but the rest was new to me

For some reason this old legend reminded me of a drawing I saw not long ago: Charlie Brown and Snoopy are gazing at the sunset when Charlie Brown suddenly says "Someday we are all going to die".

To which Snoopy replies: "Yeah, but all the other days we are not".

Pretty much sums up my attitude towards life and death these days

We're all dieing.... Just that some of us are making a bit more effort than others to get there... (oddly my chemo nurses didn't find that overly funny last year when I told them... )

Well, Maugham's writing career did not die after he penned that story. O'Hara's career gained new life with his version, so everybody won.

All except the merchant's servant

But he had it coming

The servant had to go some time. There are no ancient Mesopotamians left.

None right either

If they come back, they'll also come front.

Can we leave out above and under?

I hope you'll understand that I'm trying to stay above the fray.

I'm above it

Of course you are.