The concepts of "The Old Knock" and "Love" do not easily meld. I am afraid to say that the Old Knock, in general, is not particularly adept in the art of love. It is unsurprising to find that most Old Knocks are not wed, or if they are, they did not participate in the Holy Act of Matrimony until well into their later years. (Once has only to consider the grand C.S. Lewis, pictured above, with his wife Joy.) The fact that some Old Knocks actually have been known to reproduce is nothing short of extraordinary.
The cause for this lack of romantic excellence is due, almost entirely, to the primary focus of the Old Knock’s life: their field of study. Lest we forget, an Old Knock is defined almost entirely by his (or her) devotion to intellectual pursuits. This does not leave one much time to master the finer graces required for wooing.
Take for instance P.G. Wodehouse’s Gussie Fink-Nottle. Here is a young man devoutly committed to his beloved newts. Is it any wonder that at the moment he hopes to, as they say, “seal-the-deal” with his beloved, he hopelessly flubs it?
