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This episode is brought to you by the Blue Quivering Sky.

Tonight, we'll read the 1921 short story, Mr. and Mrs. Duff,

written by New Zealand author Catherine Mansfield.

In this story, Reginald is a young man who works on a fruit farm in Rhodesia,

but is currently back home in England for one more day.

There, he visits his friend Anne with the pet doves, who he is in love with.

Now known as in Bobway, Rhodesia was a state located just north of South Africa,

colonized by Britain.

Let's get cozy. Close your eyes.

Relax your body into the softness of your bed.

Now, take a few deep breaths.

Of course, he knew, no man better, that he hadn't a ghost of a chance.

He hadn't an earthly. The very idea of such a thing was preposterous.

So preposterous, that he'd perfectly understand it if her father, well,

whatever her father chose to do, he'd perfectly understand.

In fact, nothing short of desperation.

Nothing short of the fact that this was positively his last day in England

for God knows how long would have screwed him up to it.

And even now, he chose a tie out of his chest of drawers,

...