Questions and Answers

Various materials and precious metals or gems have over the years been assigned to anniversaries  – paper for the 1st up to diamonds for both the 60th and 75th.  I have no idea who established this custom, but whoever it was must have realized that once one has been married either 60 or 75 years, even though a diamond may be forever, they don’t have too many forevers to enjoy and the heirs will soon be grabbing those family jewels.

I have not seen a comparable tradition for birthdays other than assigning precious or semi-precious gems as birthstones to correspond with the month of one’s birth. In the case of April the diamond is generally listed as that month’s birthstone though opal and sapphire have also appeared on some lists.

So today on Alice’s 134^th birthday, let’s add a diamond to the birthday feather for her birthday hat and celebrate with a spot of tea.

In 1978, book dealer and premier Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas collector and bibliographer, Robert A. Wilson, published a small, limited edition booklet “Tea with Alice.”  The 250 copies were distributed as Christmas gifts.  In it he recalled his 1963 visit with her in Paris:

“Ever the proper hostess, though not at all well, she had gotten out of bed and into an easy chair beside it, clad in a bed jacket and lap robe.  I arrived punctually, armed with a couple of gifts: a carton of cigarettes, as I knew she was a heavy smoker; some fancy Japanese matches; a bottle of brandy which I knew she used at least in cooking; and a recording of some Stein pieces read by a fan named Addison Metcalf, entitled “Mother Goose of Montparnasse.”  It turned out that she did not possess a record player. (She later wrote me that Joe Barry, an American correspondent who took care of some of her many  needs, had brought her one so that she could listen to it.)

 

After we chatted briefly, she rang a bell and summoned  Jacinto, her Spanish maid.  She offered me a choice of  what she termed “an indifferent sherry or an excellent Chinese tea.”  I chose the latter.  When Jacinto had left the room she said, sotto voce, “You’d better see to the brewing of that yourself, Jacinto can’t do anything right.”  So I accomplished this as best I could – not knowing any Spanish and Jacinto no English, and very little French.  I drank the entire pot of tea, as it was excellent as Alice had claimed.”

Others guests of GertrudeandAlice’s invariably included in their stories of visits to rue de Fleurus or rue Christine the high quality of the tea served along with Alice’s teacakes or cookies.

The ritual of teatime also followed GertrudeandAlice to the U.S. during the marathon 1934-35 lecture tour.  They were invited to tea at the White House by Eleanor Roosevelt in December of 1934.  In his 2009 memoir, Too Close to the Sun: Growing Up in the Shadow of my Grandparents, Franklin and Eleanor, Curtis Roosevelt recalls teatime at the White House:

“My grandmother’s tea at the White House took place in the West Hall, between her rooms and the Lincoln Bedroom suite on the other side.  Although it was only late afternoon, the evening shift of waiters was on duty in their starched fronts with white ties and tails. (The daytime shift wore dinner jackets and black tie.)

They served from behind a large screen at the entrance of the West Hall, keeping everything moving at the proper pace.  When the guests arrived, they ushered them in and announced each one’s name.  The atmosphere was a mixture of formality and informality, with grandmother setting the tone.  She definitely presided, but her overriding concern was making sure people felt at ease.   What mattered most to us, aside from the pleasures of such staple treats as the delicious pound cake and – my own favorite – cinnamon toast, was the opportunity for Sis and me to join the adults.  Otherwise, we rarely ate with our family.  Our grandfather wasn’t often present for tea, as he stayed in his office until about 6:00 P.M.  Perhaps on a Sunday, when he didn’t go to his office, he’d join us.”

This is the first year that I have received a gift for Alice on her birthday.  A book arrived the other day from Australian artist and GertrudeandAlice fan, Gisela Zuchner-Mogall with the following note:

“Dear Hans, Don’t you think Alice would have enjoyed this book (together with Gertrude, of course!) Would you accept it on her behalf?  One can’t have birthdays without presents.  Happy Birthday Alice. Cheers Gisela.”

The book is The Interrogative Mood by Padgett Powell and the whole book is written in a series of questions!

Considering GertrudeandAlice’s final conversation about questions and answers, I gladly accept this gift for Alice and also wish her the happiest of birthdays!

 

Tagged Addison Metcalf, Alice B. Toklas, Curtis Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt, Gertrude Stein, Gisela Zuchner-Mogall, Joe Barry, John Keating, Padgett Powell, Robert A. Wilson, The Interrogative Mood