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Christmas Party -------------------- My friend is screwing Matusow's babysitter, so we all get invited to the Christmas party. Lily Tomlin, a few years from fame, does living-room standup. Everyone gets real drunk on some of the best alcohol you'll never drink. The catered food is stupendous but by then who is sober enough to remember? Late at night, I go into the bedroom to retrieve my coat, and there sits Matusow sharing a joint with Norman Mailer. Mailer looks up at me and glares. Looks but doesn't have to say "Knock before you walk in, schmuck." Excuse me, gentlemen, I say, grab my coat, leave. Mailer's pot-fueled stare has burned a hole in the back. Which way is the IRT Express back to the Bronx and the usual oblivion? KTW/11-10-07 (Harvey Matusow was a former Communist, later known to have been in the employ of the FBI. He was an informer to HUAC, and attempted to sell out Pete Seeger among others. Seeger, a better man than I am, forgave Matusow. Wikipedia has a full bio which may even be accurate. Even in 1965 when I met Matusow I knew his reputation as a dirtbag but he was a nice guy in person and gave a great party. Norman Mailer we know about.) -- ------------------ Kenneth Wolman rainermaria.typepad.com "I agree with the Chekhov character who, when in a crisis, he is reminded that 'this, too, shall pass,' responds 'Nothing passes.'"--Philip Roth