In this podcast episode, Lore Segal reads her story 'On the Agenda'. The speakers explore uncomfortable scenarios and personal hells, reminisce about past travels, and reflect on personal experiences including love and loss.
Forgetting can lead to frustration and anxiety, but also provide humor and shared experiences.
The desire for order and neatness is innate and relates to a sense of control.
Deep dives
Forgetting as an Olympic Sport
The friends discuss the phenomenon of forgetting and the impact it has on their lives. They playfully propose a forgetting Olympics, where the person who forgets the most names wins. They share anecdotes about forgetting addresses, people, and even their own writings. The conversation reflects on the frustration and anxiety that can arise from forgetfulness, but also the humor that can be found in shared experiences of memory lapses.
The Desire for Order
During their ladies' lunch, the friends explore the human tendency to crave order and neatness. They ponder why they have a need for things to be in the right place, discussing the satisfaction of tidiness and the discomfort caused by disorder. The conversation touches on the connection between order and a sense of control, as well as the question of whether the desire for order is innate or learned.
Anxieties and the Passage of Time
As the friends gather for lunch on various occasions, they discuss the anxieties that come with age and the passage of time. They reveal their fears, such as forgetting names, not being able to travel, or feeling overwhelmed by responsibilities. They reflect on the ways in which these anxieties shape their lives and influence their decisions. The discussion highlights the complexities and uncertainties that come with aging and how they impact personal experiences and relationships.
Lore Segal reads her story “On the Agenda,” which appears in the September 18, 2023, issue of the magazine. Segal’s most recent books are “The Journal I Did Not Keep: New and Selected Writing” and “Ladies’ Lunch: and Other Stories,” which comes out later this month.