18 DECEMBER 2004, Page 50

Nothing to Do

I’m here in the hotel By the sea With nothing to do.

But how do you do that nothing? I never did it before.

Tell me how you begin and what’s involved?

My heart isn’t in the job, and What did you bring me for?

How do you go about Nothing to do?

What is this nothing? I’ve always Done something. Show me How it’s done. The sun Is going down. It’s quite chilly Here on the terrace.

And now I’ve done nothing, What do I do next?

Muriel Spark