6653. THE GRAY MAN

THE GRAY MAN

The gray man began to tell me, he said "you are

an abstractionist with words, and have come all

this way to perform. This is all very interesting, 

and I am  -  just as much  -  very happy I came

to hear you. Everything you lit upon, word by

word of yours, was gone the instant you touched 

it  -  that was the magic of the reading. Complete

breakdowns of every matter to abstraction. A

gone-complete negation of everything you say.

Amazing indeed  - what Pollock or Rothko  -

each in their way  -  did with paint you do with

words. I am enamored of that, sir. Would

that I could listen some more. I wanted to

hang on every concept you introduced,

and was always amazed, all day."

-

I decided then and there to drink. To smoke.

To eat. To continue talking. To find some

girl to love me more. To ask around for 

money. to get acclimated to this new life.

To take up the magic wand of the new 

wizardry of all the gray man said to me.