Marx

I was visiting London on a weekend. My aim was to see the grave of Karl Marx in Highgate cemetery. When I went there I discovered that there were two parts to the cemetery, old and new. I also found that “Marx is in” the new part and I made my way to the grave.

As I was walking along, I came across a lady and she cheerfully informed me, “Karl Marx is here you know!” “That is why I am here!” I informed her, equally cheerfully.

Her reaction intrigues me even today.

She gave me a ‘haughty’ “there are others too you know.” and stomped off.

Perhaps, the fact that the ‘devil incarnate’ Marx was buried there was of scandal value to her and the fact that this black man had come only to see the grave of Marx must have offended her.

I did discover that there were, indeed, ‘others’ too. Great men I admired and hero-worshipped in my boyhood: Michael Faraday, for instance.

As I was walking around, I heard one of the people say “Do you know? Bronowski is here?” For a moment I was confused. I thought Bronowski was dead. Then I saw what the person meant. There was a small square plaque marking the place where Jacob Bronowski is buried.

I also meat a dear old lady at the grave of Marx and she described herself as an American Communist. I made the mistake of saying, “I did not know that such a thing existed.” Of course, I was being flippant. I knew the many American communists past and present. I had read and heard a lot about their witch-hunt by MacCarthyism. And many more who were branded as a red, pinko, commie and persecuted - definitely one of the darkest periods in American history.

The lady later sent me a book written by her husband about his experiences in jail.

(Picture from wikimedia)