The Mirror World of Melody Black

4

GONZO

To: jessica.pearle@observer.co.uk

From: abbywilliams1847@hotmail.co.uk

Date: Fri, 10 May 2013, 6:48 AM

Subject: MF Interview

Jess, hi

First, let me apologize. The death I spoke of was my neighbour’s: he was close to me geographically, but not in any other sense. I’m afraid I misled you with a half-truth because I was in a bit of a flap about the Miranda Frost interview, which did not go at all as planned. You’ll understand when you read the attached article.

Also attached is a companion piece, which I felt compelled to write. It follows on directly from the ‘interview’; please read them in turn, as this is the only way they make sense.

I realize, of course, that I haven’t delivered the piece I promised, and I’m sure these articles are a million miles away from what you were expecting. But I hope you can find a home for them, nevertheless.

What do you think? Are they printable?

Let me know; and, again, please forgive me for my small deception.

Abby

To: j.b.caborn@ox.ac.uk

From: abbywilliams1847@hotmail.co.uk

Date: Fri, 10 May 2013, 7:01 AM

Subject: Lunch?

Dear Professor Caborn

My name is Abigail Williams and I’m a freelance journalist.

For reasons slightly strange – too strange to explain here – I recently stumbled on your work regarding socio-cognitive limitations in primates. I’d very much like to meet up to talk about ‘Caborn’s number’, with a view to writing an article on the subject.

If you could spare an hour, I’d love to come to Oxford to ask you some questions. Perhaps I could buy you lunch?

Yours expectantly

Abby Williams

To: abbywilliams1847@hotmail.co.uk

From: jessica.pearle@observer.co.uk

Date: Fri, 10 May 2013, 12:03 PM

Subject: RE: MF Interview

Hi Abby

Yes, this is printable (my God is it printable; by the end of the first paragraph, I couldn’t put it down!). But are you sure you want me to print it? I’m saying this as a friend, you understand, not as an editor. It’s very provocative stuff.

A couple of questions to settle my mind:

1) Is it all true? It has the ring of truth, but I need to know for certain – especially with the Miranda Frost interview. It’s not exactly flattering; I need to be sure there’s nothing libellous there! You say it’s a transcript: is this literally the case? (It’s not some weird gonzo experiment?)

2) I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but have you thought this through? Some of the details, in both pieces, are extremely intimate. Presumably this is going to upset a few people. (Your father? Your boyfriend? Will they be okay with this?) Uncompromising honesty makes great reading, but I doubt it’s going to make you very popular. Are you sure there’s nothing you want to change?

Think carefully about these things before you ask me to proceed.

Jess

To: jessica.pearle@observer.co.uk

From: abbywilliams1847@hotmail.co.uk

Date: Fri, 10 May 2013, 1:15 PM

Subject: RE: RE: MF Interview

Jess

1) Attached is the mp3. As you’ll hear, I haven’t changed a word. Everything else – ‘she makes a lousy cup of coffee’, etc. – is just my opinion/interpretation, obviously. There’s nothing libellous there.

2) Thank you for your concern, but either it all goes in or none of it does. I’ve given a completely honest account of Miranda Frost, so I can’t very well cut the bits that are unflattering to me. The intimacy is what makes the articles work, as I’m sure you’ll agree. It has to be 100% candid. Beck will forgive me (there’s nothing that terrible there), and my father doesn’t even pretend to read my articles any more.

Please proceed!

Abby

To: abbywilliams1847@hotmail.co.uk

From: jessica.pearle@observer.co.uk

Date: Fri, 10 May 2013, 4:22 PM

Subject: RE: RE: RE: MF Interview

Abby

I can get you the £500 previously agreed for the MF interview, plus another £500 for the additional piece. We would print both in the magazine – MF next week and ‘Simon’ the following. You can probably see the reason for the time lapse: they’re too long to print side by side, and the MF piece ends on such a natural cliff-hanger.

Let me know if this is all okay with you.

Jess

To: jessica.pearle@observer.co.uk

From: abbywilliams1847@hotmail.co.uk

Date: Fri, 10 May 2013, 4:42 PM

Subject: RE: RE: RE: RE: MF Interview

Brilliant – if all my work was this well remunerated, I’d finally be earning a wage that didn’t fill my father with shame.

A

To: abbywilliams1847@hotmail.co.uk

From: j.b.caborn@ox.ac.uk

Date: Mon, 13 May 2013, 11:08 AM

Subject: RE: Lunch?

Dear Abigail

While I must admit to being intrigued by your ‘slightly strange’ story, I’m afraid I must decline. I’m exceptionally busy with my research at the moment, and will be for the foreseeable future. I gave several interviews about my work a few years back, and found that it rather ate away at my time.

I’m sorry that I’m unable to help you with this.

Yours (apologetically)

Joseph Caborn

To: j.b.caborn@ox.ac.uk

From: abbywilliams1847@hotmail.co.uk

Date: Mon, 13 May 2013, 11:59 AM

Subject: The offer includes pudding

Dear Professor Caborn

I can appreciate that you have a busy and demanding job. But scientists, surely, have to eat? One hour is all I’m asking for. Please consider it!

Yours beseechingly

Abby Williams

To: abbywilliams1847@hotmail.co.uk

From: j.b.caborn@ox.ac.uk

Date: Mon, 13 May 2013, 1:44 PM

Subject: There’s no such thing as a free lunch

Dear Abby

I admire your persistence, but my answer remains the same. I may be doing you a terrible disservice, but in my experience, a journalist’s ‘hour’ is rarely the same as a scientist’s.

Yours intransigently

Joseph Caborn