30 close. It was just Angie and me; or rather, it had been. And how
much did I really care about her anyway? How much did I want her just because she made me feel good? Did I really care about her
happiness? When we’d been together I just assumed she was happy with me because I was happy with her. Until she’d got all needy
and started to complain about me not doing anything for her or paying her any attention or blah blah blah. I’d batted it away as just
more female nagging - then she left. So did that mean that truly, deep down, all I really care about was myself? The more I thought
about it the more convinced I became: I was totally selfish, shallow, worthless…piece of shite 36-37.
Ed does not care about Geoff either. He rarely asks about Geoff’s life. In every meeting, they discuss only the problems that Ed is facing. He knows a little
about Geoff because Geoff tells him. Ed never knows what Geoff is doing to make a living and when he knows that Geoff is a window-cleaner, he feels that
Geoff lies to him. He is disappointed with Geoff because he thinks that Geoff never tells him the truth. Geoff, who cannot accept what Ed thinks about him, tells
Ed that it is because he always focuses on himself, tries to gain more knowledge and solves his problems. Since he is so self-absorbed, he does not even know
Geoff’s complete name. He realizes it when his friend, Liz, asks him who Geoff is. He cannot answer it because he never asks Geoff.
This was starting to sound familiar. “Is this the Three Truths?” I asked.
Liz looked surprised. “It’s based on it, yes.” “Geoff told me about it.”
“Geoff who?” My stomach suddenly lurched. I realized that I didn’t even know
his second name. How self-absorbed is that? “Geoff the window- cleaner,” I said. 184-185
31 The quotation above shows that Ed is really a self-absorbed person. He
needs Geoff to listen to him only and to gain more information about Buddhism but he does not know much about Geoff.
2. The Characterization of Geoff
a. Ordinary
Geoff is a Buddhist but he is a little bit of an alcoholic. It is seen through the character as seen by others. He likes to go to bars and drink beer. Ed meets
Geoff in a bar for the first time and he thinks that there is nothing special about Geoff since his appearance is very ordinary. He is bald, his skin is not too bright
and his age is about fifty. He was sitting at the end of the bar, reading a paper and smoking a
roll-up. Balding, about fifty, with a little pot-belly, a bit tanned and weather-beaten. Nothing remarkable to look at; nothing remarkable
about him at all, in fact. 3
Even though he is a Buddhist but in daily life he does not act like a Buddhist who is peaceful. After Ed meets Geoff for the first time, he wants to
know him further. He comes back to the same pub where he meets Geoff but Geoff is not there, so he tries to gain some information from the landlady.
I tried to pump her for information about him, but she didn’t really know much, only that he was a Buddhist – hence the nickname –
and was basically a nice block; interesting to talk to, a good listener. And he was very practical, she said, down-to-earth – and
she wasn’t just talking about drains, which finally she’d got properly sorted.
But she had her doubts about whether he really was a Buddhist, because he smoked and drank and she’d served him a meat pie
32 once; and one time he’d really lost his rag and swore at some bloke
during an argument. 7 From the quotation above, it is clear that Geoff acts like an ordinary
person who is nice, interesting to talk to and a good listener. He smokes, drinks, and eats a meat pie and he can be angry with other people.
b. Helpful
Geoff is very helpful. He does not mind helping people to do something when other people may not want to do it. He does not care though how hard it is
to do as long as he can help. Even when he is enjoying himself in a bar, he does not mind helping the owner of the bar to mend the damaged pipe. It is seen
through his reaction, character as seen by others and mannerism. The landlady looked sheepish. Tree roots had damaged a pipe, she
explained. She’d called various drainage companies but the earliest someone could come was the day after tomorrow. There was
nothing to be done unless… She looked pleadingly at Geoff. He pulled a face.
“You’ve got to get it fixed, Shirley. And properly, you know.” “Yes, yes, I know. And I will. But just for now, Geoff - would
you?” Geoff looked at her, sighed, put his paper down and disappeared
through a door behind the bar. 3
Geoff feels pity for the landlady who is confused because she cannot get the damaged pipe fixed immediately. Geoff helps her because he knows that it can
threaten her business, which is very important for the landlady. He also helps Ed when he faints in a bar and should be hospitalized.
