The Remains of British Imperialism and the Age of Exploration

by Jay

Last Friday, throngs of Buffalonians crammed into Kleinhans Music Hall to hear Salman Rushdie give a talk about his works. Perhaps best known for the fatwa placed on him by the Ayatollah Khomeini, Rushdie spent about ten years in hiding as extremists attacked publishers, retailers, and translators for working with “The Satanic Verses.” It seems, he’s also known as a novelist.

India-born and Britain-educated, Mr. Rushdie combined wit, precision, insight, and intellect for his riveting talk. He spoke of the problems inherent with the information age, of the increasing need for literature as historical witness, and of his experiences before and after the fatwa. His dry humor and quick references kept the large audience engaged throughout. It was truly an honor to be a present for the talk.  

In keeping with the theme of British domination, we went to Betty’s for a post-Rushdie drink. I ordered a Hendrick’s & Lime. While this may sound commonplace, Betty’s staff makes a fresh lime juice blended with simple syrup that is divine. I made sure to have two cocktails because, obviously, one can never get enough Vitamin C. Scurvy may be a thing of the past, but that doesn’t mean I should neglect precautionary measures.