post-RM RM blog

According to this piece by Adam Gopnik, there's convincing evidence that Vincent Van Gogh didn't cut off his own ear; rather, his roommate, Paul Gauguin, severed it with a fencing epee. The article is generally sympathetic to Van Gogh, but acknowledges that he would never shut up, which didn't make for smooth cohabitation.

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I keep finding stuff that RM bought and stashed--previously, light bulbs; now, cleaning products. Thing is, I wasn't *lacking* in cleaning products. I mean, had RM asked me, I could have directed him to the all-purpose cleaner and sponges. Alternatively, he could have checked in the cabinet under the kitchen sink. Unless he did, and figured it would be worthwhile to get a bottle for the upstairs bathroom, to stash in that vanity, in case it was too much to go downstairs and use the already-purchased bottle. Or unless he did, and decided that non-toxic all-purpose cleaner was insufficiently antibacterial for the bathroom. And that sponges not attached to a handle were inadequate for bathroom cleaning. But I doubt it; he probably gathered, against the evidence at hand and common sense, that I didn't have any of that stuff, and that he was doing me a huge favor by buying it. As for asking first, he didn't like to do that--in a way, he prided himself on figuring things out for himself, even when it was clear that he usually figured wrong. Of course, the clearest case of 'why didn't you just ask' was when he went for a run and assumed I'd be home when he got back. I was right there. He could have just asked me. But didn't bother. So why would he ask if I already had all-purpose cleaner?

More importantly, why am I still analyzing RM's behavior? I suppose it focuses my rejoicing over his departure.