Letters from the Inside, Michael Swango, #10

Dear KK--- April 13, 2009

I have your letter and your card* in front of me. You really are endlessly fascinating and entertaining; and if you think I've said that about many people either before or after I came here, you would be mistaken.

So, KK---when are you going to get your columns & blogs together for a book and write a NY Times Bestseller ala Chelsea Handler, et al? I do a lot of reading--even more lately thanks to you--and your columns deserve to be turned into Volume I and II and ... Just a thought, though, I'm sure it is not original with me!

Beginning with your card, which was written first: As often happens over the weekend I saw a brief but fact-heavy investigative report on CNN re the death of Natasha Richardson. The timeline is damning on several key points. First, it appears she languished in the ER at the small community hospital near the resort for over an hour. Critical time in an epidural hematoma. She should have been sent immediately to the trauma center in Montreal. But the real "killer"--possibly literally--was the 2 1/2 hour ground transport time to Montreal. No air transport available. The bottom line is this: She was apparently injured around 12:40...she did not ARRIVE in Montreal at the trauma center until 7:00pm: 6 1/2 hours post-injury. The report didn't say if she had immediate surgery on arrival---but with that type of injury, the brain damage may well have been irreversible and fatal by that time.

Yes, I did see the news of the suicide of Nicholas Plath. Given the historical irony, I was surprised the story was not covered more. It was barely mentioned, in fact. Sylvia Plath is not the literary & tragic icon she once was. On a more personal note, I have lost someone close to suicide. You never ever really know why... [Ed.: He is referring to KK.]

your reading the Diane Arbus biography reminded me of that most unusual film from 06---based on that biography:

"FUR: AN IMAGINARY PORTRAIT OF DIANE ARBUS" 06 Directed by Steven Shainberg Starring Nicole Kidman, Robert Downey, Jr. "Attempting to explore famed photographer Arbus' artistic awakening in metaphoric terms, this film (set in 1958) follows her evolution from a stifled upper-class N.Y.C. wife & mother to an artist who's open to a world of society's outcasts that her parents taught her to shun.
Downey plays a fugitive from a freak show with a furry body who moves in upstairs. He's a fictitious character in this "imaginary portrait" that tells us a little about a very intersting woman. Ambitious and intriguing, with Kidman perfectly cast, but a strange, unsatisfying film. "Inspired By" Patricia Bosworth's biography of Arbus. KK: Is this the biography you are reading, or another one?

Despite several other reviews similar to the above at the time, I reallyl wanted to see this film. Because of Kidman's lead role, it recieved a lot of buzz at the time---which made its critical demise all the more devastating.

Even a three-line entry in one of those omnibus encyclopedias makes you want to know more about her: "DIANE ARBUS (1923-1971)" U. S. photographer noted for her black & white photographs of the strangeness of ordinary people, particularly children. Born Diane Nemerov, she died a suicide. Her autobiography, Diane Arbus, was published in 1972.

So-as you can see from the above, I am only superficially familiar with Ms. Arbus--and I am most interested in everything you glean from reading her biography. The comment that you are a "literary" Diane Arbus...please tell me more! As I said, endlessly fascinating and entertaining :)

Speaking of her photos of children, I recall seeing a stunning photograh of a family in the 1950s that had eleven or twelve girls--no boys. And they were all lined up by height wearing the same exact outfit. The photo was by Diane Arbus. Not sure if it was meant to look like a happy family photo, but in the hands of Ms. Arbus my recollection is of something akin to a German eugenics film from the early 20th century. I've never forgotten that photo. Strange, the effect of a single image...
***

"Touched By A Pigeon" is a perfect example of a story/"slice-of-life" that belongs in that book with 50 or 60 others!

Not only did I learn about NYC pigeons, but very funny as I've learned to expect from most of your writings. A pigeon that loses his will to live... pigeon pox!...and the sad reality of [ahem] pigeon suicide...?! [Ed: He is referencing a blog entry I wrote years ago called, "Touched By A Pigeon," about how a friend was teaching me how to ride a bike back when I lived in Hell's Kitchen. Whilst waiting for him to get the bike, I came across a neighbhorhood guy holding a pigeon. He explained there was nothign wrong with the bird, except it had lost its will to live. He had me pet it and it was soft like a bunny. A passerby noticed and screamed at how dirty it was and I was zapped back into reality and started itching and breaking out into hives. We left for our bike ride and an hour later while crossing Ninth Avenue on my way home, I saw it---dead in the middle of the road. And I just knew it walked into traffic on purpose.]

That's just your card! Let me get this in the mail now, and delve into your letter. Part II to follow shortly.

Take care and stay safe in the big bad city. Write when you can--more from me tomorrow.

Yours,

Michael

P.S. Are all your Guggenheim & MOMA parties "invitation" only? I imagine you know lots of people in your line of work...

* Nice by the way: Fountain House Collection to enlighten the attitudes regarding the mentally ill. [Ed.: He is referencing the notecard I sent; it was made by a non-profit involving mental health research.]