Fare Forward: Letters from David Markson

Nov 17 ’06

Simsy my love—

I owe you. But as always, no hay nada aqui. I uncopyedited my copyedited ms of The Last Novel, then proofed the proofs. I get wholly confused re what’s what with the two-in-one Epitaphs coming out before that. I just had to apologize to that lovely lady French critic for a minor annoying screw-up (mine), and began my letter by saying, “On December 20 I will turn 79. I forget things!” Friends, acquaintances, keep dying (would you believe two memorial services yesterday?) (I went to neither.) (And have long since told my kids — none for me, pls.) Were you aware of the death of Richard Gilman¹⁰⁰ over there — that is, aware that it occurred over there? Another friend (to a small degree).

Yes, no, I am still incapable of reading. Except for Alice Denham’s Sleeping With Bad Boys, especially all the porno parts featuring David Markson. (Book just now out; she being the ex-Playboy centerfold I’d mentioned. Review in this coming Sunday’s Times refers to “the novelist David Markson (‘stud lover boy’).” (I kid you not — my step into literary Valhalla.)

Have you heard from Rebecca Wolff¹⁰¹ re your pomes (as old Aiken¹⁰² used to spell it)? Don’t know her, but I seem to receive a freebee of the periodical now and then. You didn’t say where you hoped to land a teaching job; any nibbles?

How odd is it that I know these guys (well, knew, in Dick Gilman’s case) with Japanese wives? Pete Hamill & a writer name of Josh Greenfeld being the other two.

But, hey, that reminds me — if you have the odd moment, check to see if a translated Wittgenstein’s Mistress is in print over there, can you?¹⁰³ It’s a year and a half ago that I received my few dollars, but I’ve never seen a book. (I’m not sure why I care; for all I’ll know when I do see it, it could be a copy of The Sorrows of Werther.) Then again, I could ask the agent’s office. If I remember.

Nada mas. My kitchen sink drips. The super fixes it. It drips anew. This comprising the major events in my existence of late.

I will assume you guys are OK. What would happen if I dialed your Madison #? Wait, let me. I just did. It rang & rang. Then, as if an answering machine had been on (but sans message), it said, “Memory full.” Is it still yours? Did I ask about this before? On Dec. 20 I will turn 79. I forget things!

But with love — David

100 Richard Gilman, a leading drama and literary critic, 1923–2006. He died in Kusatsu, Japan.

101 Editor of Fence Books, who was reading my second manuscript at the time.

102 Conrad Aiken, American novelist and poet, 1889–1973.

103 I tried, but failed to find one.