it hurts too much

[Puellam audiam]

Hi, everyone!

Two police officers are discussing a case...

A:"...The first thing I did. Checked every goddam hospital in the area...I've checked the morgues, the lot, and he is not around. Makes you think, doesn't it?"

B:"No," said Flint firmly. "It does not. I've told you. Where Henry Wilt is concerned I don't even try to think. It hurts too much."

Can someone try to explain to me the last line?
Thanks!!!

 

[Tatzingo]

Hi, everyone!

Two police officers are discussing a case...

A:"...The first thing I did. Checked every goddam hospital in the area...I've checked the morgues, the lot, and he is not around. Makes you think, doesn't it?"

B:"No," said Flint firmly. "It does not. I've told you. Where Henry Wilt is concerned I don't even try to think. It hurts too much."

Can someone try to explain to me the last line?
Thanks!!!

= Thinking about the subject matter (Henry Wilt), causes me emotional pain, it hurts emotionally.

Tatz.

 

[Thomas Tompion]

= Thinking about the subject matter (Henry Wilt), causes me emotional pain, it hurts emotionally.

Tatz.

Interesting, Tatz. I read it differently. Obviously it hurts too much thinking about Henry Wild, but not emotional pain, just that he's so tiresome, or troublesome, or disagreeable, that thinking about him is a painful process. If that's what you meant by emotional pain, I agree with you. If you meant that the officer is in some way fond of Henry and thinking of him causes him some kind of distress, then that seems to me less likely. I'm not sure we've got enough detail and context to be sure either way. Maybe we are agreeing.

 

[Toadie]

I agree with Thomas. It's like he's saying "It's too much of an annoyance to think about Henry Wild."

 

[Ecossaise]

My reading is that he is being serious, and that he is implying that he just doesn't want to think about Henry Wilt.

Knowing the Tom Sharpe "Wilt" books, this is the most likely explanation as Wilt is one of those characters who is always creating the most unlikely series of events through accidents, and people round him end up in confusion and despair.

 

[Puellam audiam]

You mean if we look only on the context I provide, there are two possibilites:
1.In related to the second detective's experiences on Wilt, Wilt is really a poor guy. And this detective has feelings and sympathy for him. The past of Wilt, the thinking of it makes the detective feel distressed. Maybe something miserable happened to Wilt in the past.

2.Wilt is a toublesome guy. Anything concerning to him will turn out to be disaster. And the second detective could not put up imaging Wilt, or thinking about him, because psychologically he is scared of getting into trouble, being related with Wilt in whatever way.

According to the context I am reading, I think it's more or less what you think(the possibility 2), although I could not be 100 percent sure.

Thanks for your reply!

 

[Ecossaise]

Definitely 2, except that the detective is not frightened of getting into trouble, just fed to the back teeth with the trouble that comes when Wilt is involved.

 

[panjandrum]

For discussion on fed to the teeth, please see:
... fed to the teeth. Is this a common expression?

 

[Orange Blossom]

Going with interpretation 2. I would think that the police officer is fed up with dealing with all the paperwork, hassles, and problems Henry Wilt has caused him.

Orange Blossom