von's been gone about three hours or so, signs that he had been here are: that the window is wide open and the room slightly drafty, that my standing lamp is turned off, and the floor looks exceptionally bare. this morning, we breakfasted at the tavern (again) and i left him at barracks road to inquire about hammocks and to let his powerful intellect be absorbed by books about harvard egyptologists getting mixed up in murder mysteries in paris, while i went to class. quite relieved to see herbert tucker lecturing, because bob reeder had told me, when we had lunch the day before, that professor tucker had been arrested for his role in the anti-war protest. tried to speak to him after class, but as he left the lecture theatre directly, and a great crowd was swarming out of wilson hall, i lost sight of him, and on reflection maybe it wasn't my business to ask if he were well, so i slunked off home. met up with von three hours later for lunch at martha's cafe, so that he could revisit the fish in the bathtub, and where seated on the porch i could see the english department chair lunching. when i made this known to von he urged me to introduce myself to the big shot, while i protest that i haven't any reason to interrupt his lunch (having neither read his most recent book or heard his talk at the book feste.) von thinks that conversation can always been made and openings found. what about, he suggested, if i went to him and offered to sell him a fake rolex? service was very slow, but the food (pan-seared crabcakes on spinach salad with goat cheese) greatly satisfying. i thought vaguely of laksa tonight, until i remembered i was going to the 4th year echols dinner, and should not graze anymore till then. von stopped at cafe europa to pack himself some dinner and airport-waiting food. if he's not too tired when he gets back he'll write me a charlottesville food review for my journal (he has taken numerous notes in a little notebook and collected menus), although, as he is leaving cambridge again to go snowboarding tomorrow, this might not happen for ages. partings with von as usual, fuss-free although maybe somewhat abrupt. maybe i was also lightly cross with him before that, and him me. i am lying in bed, awake, but bodily weak. perhaps i could take a nap. or perhaps i'll heave myself out of bed and to the shower. i hope tonight's do is not formal.