"Recently Michael had encountered Salman Rushdie at a party given by Geoffrey Robertson, the lawyer who had secured Michael's libel judgment against Rupert Murdoch's Times. Jill and Michael had installed a new kitchen with the damages. Spotting Rushdie, Michael approached and said, "Salman, let's have a meeting sometime soon without any kind of reference to Elizabeth [Rushdie's estranged wife who remained Michael's friend]." Rushdie agreed. "That was just before Christmas," Michael noted. Rushdie said he would call Michael. But no call had come. Michael rationalised by saying Rushdie might have rung up while Michael was away for the holidays (Michael had no answering machine or fax). "What I'd like to do--if it's okay with you--is you should have a talk with him." Of course I was agreeable. I wrote to Rushdie, mentioning Michael's fond memories of him. I never received a reply." --