Meeting Thomas Mann and Susan Sontag A Fictional Short Story

He is seated in front of a large window, listening to a well-known podcast host. The story transports him back seventy-six years, to 1948. He recalls his days in Los Angeles as a teenager, part of a family exchange program. It was a pivotal moment in his life and he hasn't thought about it in years. The podcast illuminates the significance of those experiences, leaving him both surprised and reflective, as he realizes how those formative months influenced his journey.

At ninety-two years old, he resides alone in Washington DC, enjoying the love of his children, who frequently visit and keep him company.Although he lost his wife a few years back, he thinks of the good times they spent together. His professional journey was marked by a career at an investment firm that focused on cultural industries, including publishing,

film, and electronic media, where he played a key role for many years.Now retired, he enjoys the time to read extensively and write for personal edification about his experiences.

He watches daily streaming movies, attends the theater and concerts, and has recently started using the Apple Vision Pro to be connected and current with the online media landscape in which he once worked.

As he listens intently to the Past, Present Future* podcast, which delves into the lives and works of renowned authors, the situations and the names discussed trigger vivid recollections of his own life, prompting him to reflect on a significant moment. Recognizing the importance of this direct personal connection, he approaches his wall-to-wall bookcase, carefully selecting the books discussed in the podcast, each one a potential path to memories that transport him back to his early youth. Each of these selected volumes, placed on his desk, reconnects him

with his past and lessons learned at distinct times.

(While this man is fictional, most of the characters, dates and events depicted in his story are real, including the quotes.)

* David Runciman. Past Present Future: History of Ideas 8:

Susan Sontag, Jan 1, 2024

https: //podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/past-present-

future/id1682047968?i=1000640208389&r=1253