Dark Back of Time

The time-honored aspiration of any chrnoicler of survivor - to tell what happened, give an account of what took place, leave a record of events and crimes and exploits - is, in fact, a mere illusion or chimera, or, rather, the phrase and concept themselves are already metaphorical and partake of fiction. "To tell what happened" is inconceivable and futile, or possible only as invention. The idea of testimony is also futile and there has never been a witness who could truly fulfill his duty. Anyway, you always go forget far too many moments and hours and days and months and years, and the scar on a thigh that I saw and kissed every day for years during its known and lost time. You forget whole years, and not necessarily the least important ones.


Dark Back of Time, Javier Marias
1998