Patrick

[blonde222.livejournal.com]

I was rereading the Attic Term (courtesy of frankie_ecap, thank you PH) and came across a passage which has always confused me.

I'm talking about the first conversation we witness between Patrick and Claudie.  In which, she asks him if he is sleeping with his girlfriend, and he vociferously denies having any desire to, on the grounds he is "terribly backward". At which point she offers to initiate him... and he says: "Well, since you ask, because I think it should only be with someone you - care for, or - okay - if it's paid for."

Firstly would anyone like to comment on this conversation in general - for example, is he saying he doesn't think of Ginty in that way (bad luck, Ginja) or is it he just doesn't want to talk about it with Claudie? And also, what's with the "paid for" comment? He can't possibly be saying that the only alternatives are marriage or prostitution???

Comments

[yiskah.livejournal.com]

Maybe because prostitution is a transaction, and therefore codified and not casual? That's the best I can come up with; I always found that line rather odd (though interesting).