Dear Nasty May 10, 1985
Dear Nasty:
What happens when a computer gets too personal?
Answer: turn it off.
A bad joke from computer nerds of America, although I don’t
know enough about computers to be a computer nerd. I mostly use the machine
like a typewriter. It works well enough for me.
It’s been a very long time, and I’m very glad to have
received a letter from you. I hope it’s not too hot and sticky down there in
the boonies of South Carolina.
Dead Horse died an indignant death some time ago. Although
Pauly and I as well as some other friends got involved with some video projects,
we hoped would get broadcast on cable TV. It was a good dream. Unfortunately,
our politics got us thrown off the air.
We did a parody of “Gone with the Wind,” only we called it
“Gone with the Ducks,” in which I played the role of a professional duck walker
– suspected of the heinous crime of killing the ducks’ master. In another skit,
I played a British soldier from the Falkland Islands, who’d lost his lover, a
sheep, during the war.
“Scrap Paper Review” is my current project involving some of
the brainer people from college. Some of it makes sense, most of it is
extremely radical and anti-Reagan (although I’m not very comfortable with the
radical left either meaning we have no friends and might explain why we make no
money.) Such are the breaks.
The next issue, which I am typing as we speak – in on The
Bible which should make good churchgoers everywhere drool with rage – although
some of those who have submitted material happened to be good and wholesome
Christians.
You asked me about Emerson. What’s to like? He’s one of
America’s best philosophers, but like William James, he talks in circles.
My favorite writers are William Faulkner and Graham Green.
Pauly likes James Joyce. Hanks likes Norman Mailer. I think
they talk in circles, too.
I suspect I’ll never be famous. It’s a struggle enough just
to keep writing every day. Right now, I’m in a slump. I’ll come out of it.
Editing Scrap Paper helps, but I’m not sure how long I can keep it up since it
doesn’t make money. No one currently associated with the venture has a money
sense – least of all me.
It the paper survives and goes some place, maybe I’ll hire
you for one of my books.
Stay away from The Grateful Deal. They are the most
successful bad band in history, supported largely by its cult following. The
early albums such as American Beauty and Workingman’s Dead are the best of the
lot and worth more than just one listen. The rest have the feel of a living
room jam session, a few good bits but without the sense to throw the bad stuff
out.
I’m a Beatles fan myself. As for more contemporary stuff I
like The Firm, Erik Clapton, Joe Walsh, the broken-up members of Eagles like Hennelly,
the late John Lennon and his song Julian, and a whole assortment of rock and
roll.
I tend to stay away from top fifty stuff in general, but
with modern radio that’s hard.
The family is surviving well enough. Harry is still up in
his mountain hideaway. It seems that all the brothers had a tendency to slip
away into their own private worlds. Grandma and my mother are still with Teddy
in Toms River. Ritchie is in Graystone. I bring him home to my apartment on
weekends.
I recently broke up with my girlfriend, Fran, and I’m still
down about it. I spent three hard years with her before it all got too crazy.
I envy your being able to swim. It is still cold here. Last
night, it slipped into the upper 30s. You’re welcome to come visit provided you’re
willing to put up with primitive living. The building is falling down around me
and I’m a bit of slob.
I’m currently working three part time jobs. Three nights a
week I bake donuts for a Dunkin Donuts in Wayne, two mornings and one night, I
bake at another in Bloomfield, afternoons five days a week I sit in a Fotomat
booth where I read and write,
I never saw the Zeppelin movie, but I like most of their
music, especially Houses of the Holy. A good, but slightly risqué rock and roll
film is out called Purple Rain.
I haven’t seen Dr. Chief in a while now, but I doo keep in
touch with many of the professors who are still on campus. But Chief does get
our newspaper.
As far as your little secret is concerned, I’m mum about it.
You’ve grown up some since I’ve last seen you, a regular woman. I like to see
you again sometime to see how the years have worked out for you. I’ve aged a
bit, but act just like the kid I really am.
I’m going through a little legal trouble with my ex-wife,
which only makes the hurt over Fran all the worse. But we all carry on. It’s
just hard jumping back into the rat race of dating after three years. Yet everybody
seems to be going through the same thing lately.
Well, I’ve got to get some rest. Take care and write soon.
It’s wonderful hearing from you again, something I missed over the last few
years.
Say hello to Nonsense and Nothing. I hope they are doing
well, too!
Love,
Nuts
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