Carolyn Cassady was another person I wrote to asking for memories of Burroughs. I wasn't aware that she felt this way about him, but I appreciated her truthful response, refusing to be sentimental in the days after Burroughs' death.
The photo of Burrough's collection of canes and walking sticks is by Lee Ranaldo.
-- Levi Asher
Trouble is, I don't feel like any "tribute" to BB. As I wrote, he didn't want to know me nor I him. He represented all that I think negative and counter-productive, if not downright destructive in human life and the antithesis of what I believe we should all be about. I felt somewhat better about him when the TV interviewer asked him if there was anything in his life he regretted. Bill's reply was "Are you kidding? Everything!" I wanted to say, well, duh--I coulda told you so. "Wise men learn from the experience of others; fools from their own". I know, there's this theory that in order to appreciate the heights, you have to know the depths, but I don't agree. I have much to learn, but I don't think his way would be rewarding. So, sorry, Levi ...
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This article is part of the Sliced Bardo series. The next post in the series is Sliced Bardo: Bardo in Kansas. The previous post in the series is Sliced Bardo: On Burroughs by Robert Creeley.