A cat without an identity
Xesca shared her life with a cat that, surprisingly, had no name. Although her love for the animal was obvious, she felt she had no right to name it, as if the absence of a name symbolized a freedom slipping through her fingers. In her dining room, a painting of the iconic Audrey Hepburn in ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ was her pride, a memory of an IKEA purchase that reflected her taste for art and beauty.
Truman Capote’s impact on literature
Xesca was an avid reader, but always returned to the works of Truman Capote, the author she considered a key figure in the narrative of the 20th century. In our discussions, she insisted that Capote offered a unique view of reality, surpassing any academic training he might have received. ‘His work is the key to understanding creative journalism’, he said with fervor.
Capote’s creative refuge on the Costa Brava
One of the most fascinating memories shared by Xesca was the story of Capote seeking refuge on the Costa Brava to write ‘A sang freda’. He spent summers at the Hotel Trias in Palamós, surrounded by dogs, a cat and a pile of notes. That stage of his life, away from the hustle and bustle of New York, seemed to be his way of finding the necessary inspiration for his masterpiece.
The sad news of Marilyn Monroe’s death
One morning, leafing through ‘The Herald Tribune’, Capote received the shocking news of the death of Marilyn Monroe, a close friend. Interestingly, Monroe was supposed to star in his film adaptation of ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’, but the producers chose another path, something Capote never quite forgave.
Lists of preferences and literary discoveries
Afternoons with Xesca used to be full of fun activities, like making lists of her preferences. I remember those conversations about Capote’s best books, with ‘Music for Chameleons’ and ‘The Harp of Grass’ always on the edge. His passion for ‘Plegarias atendidas’ was undeniable, even though the story behind it had caused his fall from grace.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s: a claimed work
Xesca defended with conviction that ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ was Capote’s most significant piece. Her narrative, full of social nuances about 1950s New York, featured Holly Golightly, a complex character who reflected a duality of empowerment and vulnerability. She saw Holly as a reflection of modern women, similar to the protagonists of the series ‘Girls’ that she liked so much.
A late revelation
Despite Xesca’s insistence, I avoided reading ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ for a long time. However, I recently received a new edition translated into Catalan. While reading it on a sleepless night, I discovered the reason for Xesca’s nameless cat, a revelation that made me reflect on the connections between literary characters and real life.