The pictures of Allen eating at the breakfast table, of Allen and Gregory Corso in the kitchen, of Allen and Peter Orlovsky in the living room, were all taken in April 1973. They were here for a Kerouac festival at Salem State College. Characteristically, their arrival was a surprise. Ilene, Ed Lang, and I had spent the whole day making Ilene's movie. Harvey and I were in a distance period. I was tired and cranky. No, I didn't want to go out for supper with Ilene and Ed. I was going to bed. As if sensing that I needed to be distracted from any self-pity, the steam pipes in my cellar burst. All of a sudden I heard this rushing water. Unmistakable. I had to find the plumber on a Saturday night, turn off the oil furnace, do something about the mess. I sat in the kitchen figuring out what to do next. There was a hard knock at the door. The plumber so soon'! No. Peter Orlovsky. God couldn't have been more provident.
I think the miracle of old friends is that they do come, as if by sonar when you need perking up; surely if you keep things going, cast enough nets as Paul Blackhurn would say, things will happen. So there we were, the three of us huddled in my freezing kitchen waiting for the plumber.
Allen was in a cast up to his hip from slipping on the ice in Cherry Valley. Peter was waging his campaign against smoking and wearing his Vietnam T-shirt. Bustling like a white tornado. Full of high cheer. Scouring my sink. Oh Ellie, naughty, naughty, a dirty sink. Well, at least no ciggies. What are all these papers'! Do you read all these magazines?
So Allen and Peter stay over, and Sunday morning, Ilene comes to finish the film, shooting the rest of the footage of me taking pictures of Allen and Peter singing Blake songs and new compositions on the couch.
Bobbie Creeley calls on Monday that she'd like to come into town, she's east visiting Bob in Buffalo where he is teaching for the semester. Sure. We were all together.
Gregory Corso came over often during the week, reciting poetry in the living room to John Limon, being irascible and responding only to Allen and John, whom he called Giovanni.
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