I found myself in Turtle Bay, a part of Manhattan from 43rd to 53rd Streets, stretching from Lexington to the East River.
It’s mostly known for the long time home of the late Katharine Hepburn, but for me it has a different significance.
The writer, Kurt Vonnegut, also lived there.
Worshiping at his honorable altar, wanting so much to write like him, never being afraid of what others think, proving, one’s truth is often poignant and always very personal.
I decided, being in the neighborhood, to make a pilgrimage to 228 East 48th Street.
I was surprised at how rundown the townhouse was, not knowing if his wife and daughter still lived there, but it didn’t stop me from gazing up to the 4th floor where he wrote many of the books I so treasure.
He was walking down his front steps with Flour, his beloved dog, he was rarely without, when he became tangled in Flour’s leash, 
causing him to fall.
Never regaining consciousness, he died from a traumatic brain injury on April 11th, 2007 at the age of 84.
Staring at those steps I wanted to hug, involuntary tears ran down my cheeks.
It was then, I swear, a warmth swept over me feeling a familiar hand on my shoulder, specially expressed from the ether.
“And Lot’s wife, of course, was told not to look back where all those people and their homes had been. But she did look back, and I love her for that, because it was so human. So she was turned into a pillar of salt.
― And so it goes.” K.V. Slaughterhouse-Five.
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (1922-2007)
SB
I confess, Susannah, I never knew how he died, It always saddens me when someone isn’t allowed to die a natural death. He was a wonderful talent.
I’m off to teach 9th grade Global History. Next week will be wonderful. Each day I have either special education or reading/literacy. A perfect schedule.
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I love that you teach Skinny. Really! To be at the helm of knowledge must feel amazing. Being an influence…sigh
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I do love seeing the young sixth graders mature as they go through middle and high school. As a sub it’s nice to be able to teach everything instead of just one subject. And when the students walk through the door and someone says, “It’s Mrs. Miller, the good sub!” it makes my day.
The first year that I subbed, most teachers gave me dummied down lessons and more or less used me as a babysitter. I’m not certified, just a four year degree. During the 80s and 90s I taught advanced computer programming to adults, so it took a while for the teachers to figure out I could teach children and young adults too.
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You’re so smart and gifted Skinny. Teachers such as yourself, need to be honored more. Imagine being such a force in a kid’s life to not only educate but enlighten and encourage. It’s why your epitaph you’ve chosen is so fitting: We’re really just walking each other home. Paraphrased a bit. 😴
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Beautifully written!
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I so loved him, and his life wasn’t easy. Between the war, adopting his sister Alice’s 3 kids after she died so young. A bad second marriage where they occupied different floors of the house, like two cats in opposite trees. Breaks your heart. Sigh.
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I was blissfully unaware of the details of his life. You have a heart big enough to care.
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When you revere and are inspired by someone, you do care, you can’t help yourself. It pains me that he was so unhappy at the end of his life, that let’s face it, even at 84, is much too short to be taken lightly. I wish he had a resurrection in the love department where a woman simply adored him, but alas, he only had Flour who he loved, who you know loved him. Better than nothing I guess Anne. I worship at his altar. 🙂
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It’s so sad when a relationship makes you unhappy.
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I know. You have to fight for your happiness sometimes. According to his biographer who he authorized, Jill Krementz, who’s a well known photographer, wouldn’t give him a divorce so they lived on separate floors of their house. He was too old I guess to fight it. Makes me sad.
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Yes, very sad.
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Don’t be sad. I always think he’s writing on a cloud somewhere, Flour at his feet, both in halos. ❤️
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Thanks for your personal look into an influential life. You did good.
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He’s smiling down at you Frank. 🙂
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… and on you.
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Yeah, I talk to him sometimes. Ask how I’m doin’. I then just keep on writing. 🙂
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SB,
He loved that dog for being his perfect idea of company- without airs, unable to lie and capable of extraordinary walks on the most ordinary of days. Vonnegut influenced not one thing but all the things that call themselves art. There was no finite amount of time that would have been enough, because we always would have wanted more of him.
I love your walk through Turtle Bay.
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Never knew you were a fan of Kurt’s. He’s not for everyone it seems. But I can see where you’d be his reader.
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That’s because modern times are built on cheeseburger logic, where everybody has to ‘fit’ a prescribed method of doing business.
Vonnegut knew that was a fucking joke.
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Have you ever read, Man Without a Country? (Essays) Written long ago that can be applied right now. It’s as if he knew what was coming.
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Yep I did. And he did know. The great ones understand things not in a predictive way, but in such a wholly humanistic way that it makes them appear psychic.
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You either love him or you don’t. He held no prisoners that man of war. Sigh
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And it was that sense of belonging and of NOT belonging that fueled him. He wanted to be a part of the change he didn’t really truly believe in, but knew was possible if anybody gave a damn.
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I guess. He was not a happy man I don’t think. Makes me sad.
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Few things brought him joy.
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You’re a K.V. expert, is that it? Wondering. What’s your favorite book of his.
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Expert no. More like a vagabond. I love Gary Jennings for his historical fiction, very much. Goodwin for her historical bios. Maureen Dowd was a huge influence as per her brilliantly snarky pen. Mary Shelley and Poe because I’m familiar with the dark. But I’m mostly a wanderer.
Vonnegut is a repeat offender in my list because he made different periods of time relate-able and he did it seamlessly. I’d go with Bluebeard since you asked me nicely. 🙂
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To write seamlessly. Now there’s a goal. I meant you seemed to know more of KV than I. I read a bio of him that left me very sad learning of his many plights of misfortune. My naïveté wants to believe all successful authors are serene in that success yet know how troubled they are just the same.
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Creativity comes from a very insane place, sometimes.
I meant to say I’m a scavenger of books with no real rhyme or reason, excepting for peeps like him and the few I mentioned as well. Did you know Craig Ferguson writes? I only learned that several years back. Damn good he is.
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I didn’t know that. I’m convinced, everyone is a closet writer.
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Some of us have a walk in closet. 😉
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Touche Mr. Imma.
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😉
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I love it when you bring pieces of New York and all the fabulous parts and peoples of it.
I am half-ashamed to say I have not read a single word written by Vonnegut. Yet. Now between you and Marc, I feel I must remedy that situation. I think it’s the downfall of having gone to French schools… I have been training myself to read all sorts of classics that never were part of my curriculum.
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There’s just so many wonderful writers out there you discover when you’re ready to. I’m having a love affair with a man who started writing his stories in 1950. They’re amazing, and I ask myself, how did I miss him…Winston Graham. So just Kurt’s waitin’ for ya. Read his essays. Man Without a Country. You’ll get a great dose of him without having it all consume you. My 2 cents.
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This is true so I’ll stop beating myself up about it. And I will start there, thank you!
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Read what beckons. We change so our interests vary. Stuff I read 5 years ago just doesn’t interest me anymore. I keep track of what I read and I’m convinced our brain has 9 lives, if that makes any sense.
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I also keep track of what I read. And I read all sorts of stuff! Some days are easier than others. I have attempted to read, three times, Mrs. Dalloway – I am sure, when I am in the right frame of mind, I shall get past page 10.
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See, she does zip for me. Although I read a little bio about her from the Penguin Series of famous writers…short read…and liked it. But her prose leaves me flat. Go figure. Have a copy of Room of Her Own on my shelf an ex lover gave me I’ve never read. See. You’re not alone.
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That is rather comforting. Much as I loved the movie “The Hours” (which is what made me want to read the damn book) I just couldn’t get into it.
On a totally different subject (or rather, following our exchange on Sorryless), I just read this fascinating article on Jayne Eyre and had to share it with you. https://theconversation.com/jane-eyre-translated-57-languages-show-how-different-cultures-interpret-charlotte-brontes-classic-novel-124128
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That nose that won the Oscar. Sigh. Thanks for Jane. Will read.
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Read J.E. piece. Thanks again for sending. Novel writing, for me, is always impressive since it’s not my strong point as a writer. I have an attempt going now that has me stumped…where should it go now? I don’t trust the process since essay writing has a beginning, middle and an end right out of the gate. I flip open Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott’s writing book for solace and remember E.L. Doctorow’s quote she also lauds…
It’s like driving a car at night. You never see further than your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way. SIGH…This is the guy who gave us Ragtime, so I guess he knew what he was talking about. 🙂
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I have loved Kurt Vonnegut and have respected his work since I first encountered his writing. I actually won a contest where the writers had to construct an original story in the Vonnegut manner. I was so pleased to win. You are very fortunate to be able to walk those streets. I used to do the same when I lived in Connecticut and had business in the city.
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Wow, that’s such a great story, all in itself. I am fortunate to be able to pay homage to someone I regard so highly. I was very moved standing in front of his home, former or otherwise. Thanks.
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I would love to do that.
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It’s very emotional but glorious at the same time.
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Same way I feel about Isaac Asimov on all his books and, now, JD Robb (Nora Roberts) on her “In Death” series which just is hitting book number 50.
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I really liked his book about the baseball scandal.
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