Book 10 — DEATH VALLEY & RAMAZAN — California through Nevada to Istanbul — Trici Venola 2001 ——All before, during and after 911. Big changes in my life. Time with my sisters in LA, recovering from knee surgery; A reconciliatory visit with my brother Richard in Nevada. Went to Istanbul for a pit stop before going back to the hospital, got a harsh dose of reality. I have spared you my anguished margin scrawls. Drew all the way through it.
DEATH VALLEY, NEVADA
DUCKS & GUNGA DIN
Out on the pond in the full moon with Mr Duck & the bats & the birds — Stone spillway is a fountain when the rains come — John put carnelians in my antique Turkish bracelet, read ‘Gunga Din’ in dialect & put tears in my eyes.—— John lived out in the desert in a trailer, mourning the death of his wife, howling at the full moons. He grabbed the book of Kipling from my brother Richard and read “Gunga Din” properly, in dialect, sounding exactly like he could have served with Peachy and Danny in The Man Who Would Be King. Richard and I were both teary at the end. I had never really heard Kipling before.
SIGN AT THE POND
BE IT KNOWN THAT ON 2 SEP 1995 ON THIS SPOT HARRY COPP FORGOT HIS LICENSE TO KILL — Shadow drawing —- My day at the pond, Death Valley 2001—— A sign to mark someone’s epiphany. I’d love to know what it was.
SIERRA &THE MOON
Sierra leaning into my car August 2001—— I don’t remember who Sierra was, but I remember her leaning into my car as the moon shone behind her in the mirror, so pretty and happy that I just had to draw her. I hope she is having a good life.
RICHARD & TONI
My much-loved late brother Richard and his then wife, Toni. The admirable mother of my two nieces Kat and Natasha was very young here. She’s still young and beautiful- and so are they.
THE REAL McCOYS
Riley McCoy & the Bottle House of Rhyolite — Suzy McCoy—— Bottle Houses gleam throughout the American Desert. This one glittered green. Death Valley denizens of note, the McCoys were delighted with this drawing. The minute it was done, Suzy ran in, scanned it, and had it up online on their site before my brother and I pulled out of their driveway.
KAT PORCH SNOOZE
Ekaterina — Now a highly responsible Marine, Kat was snoozing in the desert heat. God, she was cute.
