My Present Age

My Present Age is one of Vanderhaeghe’s earliest books. It was published in 1984 and, like his protagonist, Vanderhaeghe would have been in his early 30s. I think that’s where the parallel stops, though. I can’t imagine Guy Vanderhaeghe was anything like Ed, the man who narrates this book.
Ed met his wife, Victoria, in university. She saw something in Ed that most other acquaintances didn’t. Ed was opinionated, argumentative (especially when drinking), overweight, and depressive. When Ed and Victoria were in school, they used to dream of going to Greece where Ed would write. Victoria thought that was a definite plan but for Ed it was just a whimsy. They got married in order to make it easier to travel together. Victoria thought show more they would work for a while to earn money on which they could live while abroad. Ed kept putting off the trip until Victoria realized they were never going and then she conceived (pun intended) of the idea of having a child. But that never happened and Victoria left Ed before the book begins. Ed has quit his job in the china department at Eaton’s and is financing his lifestyle with money from a life insurance policy that his father had taken out when he was a boy. His father, now retired and living in Brownsville, Texas, thought that Ed had finally matured enough to take ownership of the policy. Of course, he was wrong. Ed his spending his days reading and listening to his neighbour’s talk radio which is turned up so loud it can be heard in Ed’s apartment. The neighbour is an older man. He and Ed had words about their adjacent parking stalls and they continue to exchange insults. Ed has heard the neighbour on the radio complaining about his neighbour (meaning Ed) and he wants revenge. He also wants his wife back so when she calls and asks him to meet her for lunch, he has his hopes up. Victoria wants to talk to Ed about something but Ed manages to make their conversation all about himself so Victoria walks out on him. From a friend Ed learns that Victoria is pregnant and, as her lover doesn’t want a child at this time, is uncertain what to do. Ed tries to reach Victoria after the disastrous lunch date but she isn’t answering his calls; even more concerning she has left her lover in order to think about the situation. She is supposedly staying in a hotel or motel somewhere in the city and Ed is determined to find her.
Through the book Ed refers to Huck Finn and his companion Jim and, I presume, Ed’s search for Victoria is meant to evoke Huck’s adventures on the Mississippi with Jim. It’s an interesting idea but I think it is stretched a little fine. show less

macmillan paperback 44
some of it was funny or interesting but the hero is so full of himself that I didn't always find him funny. I am very disappointed with macmillan numbered paperbacks. most of them are ridiculous and boring. I will keep on.