I Want To See Me

For My Father The One Calamity Was That My Brother And Sister And I Never Learned To Swim. My Father, Who Was Very Macho, Was A Strong Swimmer And Was Terribly Disappointed To Have Children Who Didn't Swim. Once When My Mother Was Sitting In A Beach Chair - I Can Still See The Big Umbrella - She Called To My Father, "throw Them In! Throw Them In! They'll Swim!" So He Did. Then He Looked Down, And There Were The Three Sendak Children Lying Perfectly Still Underwater, Not Fighting For Life!

I Have This Idiot Name Tag Which Says 'controversial.'

When I Did 'bumble-ardy,' I Was So Intensely Aware Of Death. Eugene, My Friend And Partner, Was Dying Here In The House When I Did 'bumble-ardy'. I Did 'bumble-ardy' To Save Myself. I Did Not Want To Die With Him. I Wanted To Live, As Any Human Being Does.

My Father Belonged To A Jewish Social Club.

You Don't Want To Do Something That's All Terrifying.