CALIFORNIA
JUDY IN MALIBU
A gorgeous woman but didn’t believe it — loved dogs more than folk —— Judy and her husband Howard lived high up in the Malibu hills. I rented a room from them for several months during this time between LA and Istanbul.
TIME BANDITS
The bouncer at Hat’s — Tony Selage, violinist — Vito L— time bandit & freeloader—— I was a lost soul back then, with no home of my own, and attracted all manner of time bandits, pleasant people who will eat up your life. There are a lot of them in LA.
ERSATZ JAMES DEAN
“James Dean” in LA 2001 — He really believed it! —“The studio faked the crash”—— He really did look like the legend might have, had he lived past 25.
VENICE MAN IN A HAT
Richard Lubitsch “Collaborator”—— and this strong-featured fellow in a bowler.
VENICE ACTOR
Saw him on the Venice Boardwalk, liked his face.
CHOW DOG IN MALIBU
Judy had five chows and the house was immaculate. We none of us knew how she did it.
AUNT JANICE & RAY
My godmother, her husband Ray LaClair & their cats, at home in Avila Beach. Last of the 3-Martini, smoking WWII generation. My parents were dead and I was in a state of flux. So I cherish this happy visit with family elders, now gone but fondly remembered.
AVILA BEACH
Beautiful retirement community up the Coast of California from LA.
BIG SUR ON MY BIRTHDAY
20 August 2001 I am 51 today— All my life I’ve loved Big Sur on the high cliffs of the California coast. I stayed at an inn over the ocean and, despite all the hospital stuff and the uncertainty, had a fine time.
Fear of crashing can be worse than the crash itself. This was a happier birthday than the year before in Kas, when an unwise romance was at its worst and so was he.