Bunter is, of course, not a butler, but a valet

[nineveh_uk]

Following on from my last post, it strikes me that one advantage for Paton Walsh of an Oxford-set book is that it would allow her to leave Bunter at home in London*, which might be a good thing for all concerned given that she clearly regards him as an embarrassing anachronism who gets in the way of Peter’s embracing her particular take on modernity.

The novel is set in 1952, by which point Bunter and Peter have known one another for a possible 38 years**. Raising the question of what do you get your manservant for your fortieth anniversary? A question happily answered for us by Mitchell and Webb...

"Mitchell & Webb - The Butler (s03e04)" (Watch on YouTube)

*As long as the question of who picks up Peter’s socks isn’t raised

**Bunter is a bit older than Harriet, but she and Peter are both going to have to live a long time beyond him for her to beat him.

Comments

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

Note that female mortality rates are well below male rates at all ages* In fact, if you want a long life, the top four things you can do are:
- be born in the late C20 / early C21
- live in the first world
- be female
- don't smoke.

*But especially at age 17, which is when you get your driving licence, and young men have lots of car crashes. Interestingly, this effect was (just) visible even before cars, showing that we give driving licences to young men just when they are going to take most risks.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

I take it as read that Harriet will outlive Bunter (not least because she's at least 12 years younger than he is) - but will Peter manage to outlive him by 20 years so that he gets to live with Harriet for longer...?

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

We should not under-estimate the effect of social class on longevity. The chances are small, but probably not that small.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

There's also the question of how much of Peter's truly appalling for the heart diet Bunter has been eating as well.

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

And whether (and how much) either of them smoke.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Canonically, both of them.

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

I thought you would know the answer.

[azdak.livejournal.com]

More than twenty years! Bunter aten't dead yet!

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Bunter is eternal! My headcanon Bunter does die a bit before Peter, but only so that Peter can suffer Enormously Pain as a result.

[azdak.livejournal.com]

You can't leave me wriggling on a hook like that! What does headcanon!Bunter die of?!

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

A heart attack. This allows him to have a warning one leading to suitable poignancy, followed by a number of years of enjoyable retirement in which he probably still picks up Peter’s socks, but gets up less early to do it, before a final deathbed scene.

[azdak.livejournal.com]

Ah, this is the one you were talking about! I note that Lord Whoeverheis, though disappointed at first, seems to conclude that there definite advantages to having a servant rather than a lover.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Well he doesn't seem to have been getting sex out of it so that stays the same with a servant, but he gets to order toast as he likes it.

[azdak.livejournal.com]

And order him to buy flowers without having to waste time on pleases and thank yous. It's a win for him all round, really.

[mobile-alh.livejournal.com]

Thank you for a excellent giggle!

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

My pleasure!