"Hostility"? Buncombe! Nothing could be further from the truth. I
have no feeling at all for (or against) Mr. Costa personally. I
deplore his want of courtesy to Mr. Longstaff, to be sure, and I don't
feel compelled to endorse it by my silence, but I know nothing else of
Mr. Costa except what he chooses to reveal to me through his letters.
If he chooses to play the fool, I'll think him foolish; if he acts the
man, I'll think him a mensch. It's really no more complicated than
that.
This said, let me suggest that if you wish to continue your amateur
analysis of my motives and character, you do so in private
correspondence, and not on a public list. Others may not share your
interest in the subject.
On the other hand, if you prefer to play to an audience, you'll compel
me answer you in kind. What a dull couple we'll make then, rowing
endlessly in public. The choice is yours, of course, as it was Mr.
Costa's before you, when he decided to vent his spleen about all
things British, with a few gibes at Mr. Longstaff thrown in for good
measure.
And now, it's time for me to get on my bike and peddle away.
Best wishes,
Forrest Brownell
South Colton NY
forrest@slic.com