LITERARY MOROSOPH

Y.P.R. 1. What did your mom say the first time she read your tales of ribaldry?

Jonathan Ames I don’t remember. What a funny word: ribaldry. And funny that I should say funny, since ribaldry has to do with funny. It would seem to mean a rib that is bald and dry. Wait a second, I just looked up ribaldry; it has more to do with blaspheme and indiscretion and obscenity… But now I look closer with my quite exhausted eyes and for ‘ribald’ it says: ‘irreverent jester.’ That’s pretty good. I’m a jester. Not too irreverent though. I believe in things. Anyway, my first book came out in 1989. I vaguely recall my mom telling me that even if I had experimented with homosexuality (she was making an oblique reference to an oblique reference to—well, not too oblique—a graphic anal rape scene in the book) that she loved me regardless and didn't judge me. She's a very good mother. I love her. She knows I love her, but I wish she really knew. That time could slow down enough so that someone could really know just how much you love them. Time seems to move too fast for this to come across.

Mr. Ames is the author of five books, including The Extra Man, My Less Than Secret Life and, most recently, Wake Up, Sir! He can be found on the Web at jonathanames.com.