Montauk Sunset 5/3

DANTE'S STATUE - LINCOLN CENTER

Sisyphisian Task - Ditch Plains

n

Sisyphus, the ancient Greek king of Corinth snitched to Asopus, that Zeus the Impaler had abucted Corinth). He reveals Zeus's abduction of Aegina, the river god's daughter, thereby incurring Zeus's wrath. While the mortal noble had cheated death, the gods achieved their revenge by forcing the now-immortal to push a giant boulder up a slope only to have it slip out of his grasp before reaching the summit and he had to start all over. M?e I would have shirked the first attempt and said, "Enough."

According to Wikpeia, thanks to Sisyphus contemporary culture considers all laborious, futile, and never-ending tasks considered Sisyphean.

Last year the town of Easthampton recognized the danger posed by the ever higher tides to the beach community of Ditch Plains in Montauk. Once these houses were lower income dwelling, however now the shacks are valued in the millions dramatically adding to the tax base. The town council passed a bill to finance a $15 million sixteen foot high tidal sand barrier planted with sea grass completing blocking off the ocean from the Shagmoor to past the trailer park.

This weekend Caterpillar tractors and trucks filled the gaps in the wall with tons of sand. I expect they will be at it all summer long and I wish the town of Easthampton success, since I am presently living in a tent in the wetlands. Time will tell of its success.

May 13, 1991 - Bangkok - Journal Entry

Last year this time I was hiking up a river to the Langtang Glacier. The year before I was selling diamonds for the Winicks on 47th Street and in 1989 I was in New York working at Eric Beamon, planning on spending the summer in Perpignan. My passport has three entries to Paris from that year. Why I can't remember why. 1986 I was working at the Milk Bar front door, watching Seventh Avenue with Joel Bernard, my Haitian bouncer. My years were wasted as a doorman. Standing outside while all the action was inside. How long has it been since I threw a punch. A long time.

Now I'm in Bangkok.

This morning I went to the Bangkok GPO.

My only letters were from Irina K. Pamphlets about the Haute Savoie in German, a short note from my father, and two letter from Aunt Jane and the Pampolones.

My friends are either illiterate nor else I disappeared into the ether of their world. Far from thought. I send postcards, always listing the next destination's poste restante as my address. I do get letters, but what more can I expect. I'm on the other side of the world.

The silence from Paris is deafening.

I don't exist.

I had stopped my novel ALMOST A DEAD MAN.

No progress for two months. The longest break since I left the USA.

Too much pot and lack of privacy on Koh Tao, so I fled to the Malaysia Hotel and Patpong and the Soi Duplei bar, Kenny's.

Tomorrow I'm heading south to Pattaya to stay with Michel and his daughter. I'll make a collect call to Andrew and Richie. I stole a Paul Theroux books from Asia Books. THE LOOP. He published his first book at 26. At that age I was a bouncer at Hurrah and going out with Ann or Lisa Johnson. I have always wondered if I would see Lisa again. The last time was in Paris at the Nouvelle Eve. She was still with Vadim or was it in the Metropolitan Museum buying a Christmas card. How old is she now?

32?

30?

28?

Dustin Pittman said she was younger than she said, but she was a nutter.

Vinnie Gallo he had seen her walking barefooted around the East Village when I was going out with her.

He was also from Buffalo.

Better I should never see her again.

The past is the past.

Long gone.

Why does the past haunt the future?

Better to go to Kenny's and have a beer with the girls.

Zee is my favorite.

And Kenny is always a good time.

Westbound Train Montauk 12/24/2025

Sitting on the west end stairs of the Montauk train platform Sun on my face No one in sight No sea gulls No cars Only the train yard The rails gleam in the afternoon sun Polished by trains Transporting passengers to and from points West___ The steel dates back to the last century The engine and cars too I also come from the 20th century Past Navy Beach The trees of Hither Hills younger__
Ancient we are Trains tracks and me Though not as old as the sun falling on my skin, the rails, the steps Everything old as now Young as now too__ 5:17 Departure to Jamaica 5:19 I board Right on time Sit in the middle of the first car Three years ago a conductor told me His favorite seat "First car Less weekenders." North side seat View of Montauk Bay Then Neapaque Bay And then the thousands od dead pines Fallen ghosts never to rise again Until the rise of saplings After the Forest Fire of 2026__ Sun still lowering to the horizon Sunset 8:03 Right on time At one with eternity West bound To Jamaica And forever__

Dove HappyHappy

May 14, 1978 - East Village - Journal

Actors are all full of shit.

Expecting attention for an unending of neuroses. Pretending to be someone they are not. Unless they're funny they bore me. Artists are much better. I prefer workers like Patrick the cook and Kim's friend Amos.

Amos's a Southerner always quiet. I didn't know why Kim explained he was dyslexic. "He never finished high school. He can't read and he can't read it write "

Back in Boston I taught at a Special Ed school. The kids were very challenged. Most couldn't read. Most couldn't write. Some couldn't speak. I sang to them. Write. As a child I had trouble speaking. Stutters stammers mumbles lisps eating my words. My schoolmates were not kind. I wanted to kill them all. I wanted to join the Marines and come back to my hometown as a killer. Amos must feel the same way and that's why he's in New York. Because people like us belong here.

Home must have been torture for Amos to stay in school.

He's a good man and he likes me, because I dislike Marky from the Ghosts. But I no longer dislike Marky. He once tore up a picture of mine. It reminded me being bullied. I didn't hit him. Wanted to, but didn't, since my father used to say, "You have to compromise."

I never saw why, but maybe one day I might.

Four fat lesbians

I like the idea of Subway suicide Laying on the tracks The steel wheels running over me Not stopping Not screeching The A train 40 miles an hour heading to Times Square

At that Kim's apartment Amos Cyrena, Kim and I drink party shots. It's afternoon. Sean leans against the plastic wall. He falls through it. No fun. we leave for a dracula film.