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Last night, I read Chapter 37 of Stephen King’s The Stand: The Complete and Uncut Edition. In that chapter, we are introduced to Glenn Bateman, the crusty sociology professor.
Glenn reminded me of my initial impressions of Harold Lauder (see here and here): Glenn was an outcast among his colleagues, he was cynical about people and institutions, and he really did not care when most of humanity died of the superflu, for now he had an opportunity to retire and paint (which he admits he’s not good at, but he notes that at least now he’s one of the best painters, since many of them are now gone). But Glenn has good points, such as his hospitality towards Stu. For some reason, I actually like Glenn, whereas I didn’t initially care much for Harold. Some of what I like may be Glenn’s crusty wit. For example, Glenn has a dog named Kojak, and he wonders if other dogs have survived the superflu. When Stu replies that, if Kojak is alive, other dogs are too, Glenn retorts: “Not very scientific…What kind of an American are you? Show me a second dog—preferably a bitch—and I’ll accept your thesis that somewhere there is a third. But don’t show me one and from that posit a second. It won’t do.” I got a laugh out of that! And I doubt that Stu took it as a put-down.
I’ve said that I prefer Harold Lauder in the miniseries to Harold Lauder in the book. In the case of Glenn Bateman, I think they’re both the same. Ray Walston was an excellent choice to play him!
