If you’ve never read Bartlby the Scriviner then that phrase might not have the repetitive weight that it should have – I would prefer not to is Bartlby’s moniker of a sort and anyway it is the phrase that I’ve adopted for nearly everything since back from vacation. I was in the land of the free (Spain) and now I’m an indentured servant (New Orleans) with nothing but an endless amount of work, chores and errands to run. Why? I ask you because I really would prefer not to. My entire body begs to be curled up on the couch reading a good book and sipping a cup of tea and yet, travail travail travail I do.
I would prefer not to.