Jun 06, 2012 12:18
What horrible news to wake up to. It's all over the internet, of course, and
the newslines. The local fan mail lists are full of it this morning. As if
having the headcold from hell wasn't enough.
I had the honor of meeting Bradbury on a number of ocassions and generally
adored him. In the mid-nineties, when we were just getting the Science Fiction
Hall of Fame off the ground at KU and auctioning off anything in sight to raise
funds for it, Bradbury happened to appear for a speaking engagement on campus.
During the following book signing, he dealt himself a paper cut on the page
of a book. I handed him a napkin to daub the blood. Then, in a flash of impish
genius, I asked him if he'd sign the napkin with the drop of blood. He looked
at my strangely for a moment, then grinned as I told him I intended to auction
it off for the SF Hall of Fame, and he signed it with a flourish. It brought
a couple of hundred bucks, and the person who bought it is local and still keeps
it as a treasure.
If you've never heard a radio theater series called BRADBURY THIRTEEN, find
it and treat yourselves. The productions are brilliant, and Bradbury introduces
and closes each episode in his distinctive voice.
I've worshipped his work as long as I can remember. When Bob Tucker died, he
left me the only known complete, bound set of his fanzine, LE ZOMBIE, which
contains some of Bradbury's very earliest writing. Bradbury wrote one of my
very favorite stories ever - "All Summer in a Day. He also wrote one of the
most offensive pieces of trash it was ever my displeasure to read - "Dorian
in Excelsis." I had to double-check to make sure it was his. I've never reread
it.
Oddly, when I was teaching at Longview College last year, I found myself conducting
an unscheduled discussion regarding the books that had been forced on students
during their high school years. The students in the particular class were all
in their late teens and early twenties. A freshman class. To my astonishment
the one book most universally reviled by the students was FAHRENHEIT 451. I
was, to use an ancient word, flabbergasted.
I had the honor of presenting him with his SF Hall of Fame induction award.
The presentation was supposed to have been part of his appearance at the 2001
Los Angeles Nebulas, but something went wrong and he left the stage immediately
upon concluding his speech and proceeded to leave the building. I hurried after
him and caught him at the door. He was in a wheel chair with his escort, but
he slapped his forehead when he saw me and apologized. I assured him that I
didn't mind and presented him with the unique brass telescope that was the HoF's
award at the time. We talked for about ten minutes, but he was plainly tired.
I value those ten minutes.
Can't believe he's gone.
writing,
science fiction,
ray bradbury