How well Ray sees was the main thing I wondered, but was afraid to ask.

"Often Ray has said that Hemingway gave up because of his broken body. Two plane crashes in a short period of time. Ray seems to have come to terms with that, and has 'decided' to run the race as an athlete instead of a one overwhelmed...."

I definitely applaud Bradbury's decision to keep going. He continues to write, and, when we met him in June, he was gracious, charming, witty, kind, generous with his time, fun, and sharp as a tack, and still writing (dictating?).

In the case of Hemingway, his body HAD taken some hits; but Hemingway had undergone electroshock treatments in Chicago for depression -- which treatments didn't really work. He was unable to write. He did have a lot of health issues. Hemingway reached a point where he could not live the kind of life he wanted to live physically; but he was also chronically depressed, treatments weren't helping, and he could not write. As he said in two of his stories:

"It isn't fun anymore." (From "The End of Something")

"Why did he kill himself, daddy?
"He couldn't stand things, I guess". (From "Indian Camp")

Mr. Dark / dandelion:

I remember Ray saying that Hemingway had two plane cashes in two days, and the second one did him in. It was in this context that Ray made mention that one cannot function creatively in a broken body. New findings reported last week say that heart-aches, depressions and mental traumas are understood by the brain as if an actual physical injury has occured...

dandelion:
I was having dinner in an adjoining restaurant to where Ray's theater company was performing. When I saw Ray, it was very convenient to walk out and greet him, because I was near an open door, and the walkway to the theater passed the door. (I was seated out there because the restaurant was crowded.)
When I went up to Ray and said, "Hi! Ray!", he said, "Come closer, I can't see you." I was 3 feet away. When I came closer, I noticed he really couldn't see well. It was only then he said, "Nard, whatta you doing in California?"
He later made mention in short conversation with him, that ..."You don't know how hard it's been."

Dandelion, mentioning your phone call with Maggie, and how fans "keep' him long after... I hope someone is wise out there to keep tabs on his energy. My dad died in my arms, as we were shoveling snow, in Chicago. He just didn't want to recognize that he was NOT 25 years old anymore. Writer Charles Dickens, after his wife left him, went on speaking tours that left him so exhausted that he died because of it....
Ray MUST know what his limits are .....

I, too, share everyone's concerns about Ray's health. However, my hunch is Ray knows his limitations. He does not travel long distances as he used to, and I am aware of at least one scheduled book signing he cancelled because he was not feeling well. I personally believe that Ray rarely does anything unless it is something he truly loves to do..whether it be writing, lecturing, appearing at his plays, and so forth. For many, work and activity is a life-giving tonic, like breathing itself. I think that is true with Ray.

I had been keeping up on these recent posts with much interest and then finished an oral reading of "Kaleidoscope" in class. I couldn't stop thinking about Mr. Bradbury's long and extremely successful creative life. The time we have is never assured or predictable.

The comments by our informed participants (D, Mr. D, NK, P, et al) offer interesting insights into the man and his personal ways. We are fortunate to visit with you each day!

RB has written daily for 60+ years. Religiously! Now he is required to be even more patient and talk his words to a loving and understanding scribe - his daughter, I have heard. Were not the classic works of Homer also recorded in this manner?

Back to Kaleidoscope: If you have a moment *re-read* the story and watch for Hollis's search for meaning. A relatively young man, the main character finds himself with just hours, then minutes left. He comes to realize his life's efforts may not have been best applied when compared to the others in his similar circumstance. He wishes to detract from what they have done in an attempt to salvage his own psyche from the darkness of space (external and internal).

There are several very beautiful and poetic passages in this story that capture the spirit of Mr. Bradbury's earliest style (c.1949). It is a style that has evolved yet remained vital even after a myriad of tales penned.

Is there a glimpse of which you speak above explained in this story? "I wonder if anyone'll see me?" And then, of course, that little boy on a country road in Illinois!! "Make a wish." Hollis made good with the time he had.

Or am I making much ado....?

A few reflections:

Ray DOES know his limitations! When we were arranging to see him, he kept saying it would depend on how he felt when we got there. Sam Weller implied to me he'd made at least one trip where he was unable to see Ray because of how he felt.

I believe the "dictating to his daughter" thing was only when he was flat on his back in a hospital bed. Ray now says he sees his daughter only every eight weeks; I'm sure he writes every day. Ray's stroke was very similar to my dad's first one. (They're two years apart in age, but my dad had his stroke 12 years ago while Ray's was almost exactly a year ago.) At first he could not use his right arm or leg or speak well at all. Later he regained most of his speech and use of his right arm (his handwriting was never as good) and could walk just about as well, using a cane for a while which he was able to get rid of (Ray has used a walker since at least after his first stroke; my dad never used one till after his second stroke.) Like Ray, my dad typed RELIGIOUSLY every day on an IBM similar to Ray's Selectric. It is perfectly easy to operate an electric typewriter one-handed--unlike a computer, which may require two-handed commands. It is easier if you never learned to touch type. I never saw a film of Ray typing, (or is there one at the beginning of RB theater?) but assume (or heard somewhere?) that he learned touch-typing in school. My dad was a champion touch-typer who had to learn to "hunt and peck" after his stroke. The main problem with Ray using a typewriter I think is probably not his hands but being unable to see the paper once it's in the typewriter roller, which can be a problem for even a very good touch-typer. He seems to prefer to communicate by phone what he formerly would put in notes.

dandelion:

Note that Ray used a manual typewriter, after his stroke, to improve the strength in his hands....

Ray Bradbury had his stroke, Nov 3rd 1999, at his home in Palm Springs. He has been dictating to his daughter, Alexandra over the phone, since then. She records his words, and then types them out. Then she faxes them to Mr B, he makes the necessary changes and then faxes back to her, then after, on to the publishers.

All his new books have been done this way.
including AAA, Playboy etc. articles.

Dandelion, we met briefly outside of the Th. West, One of RB's plays, a short time ago, It's me, Patrick. Once referred to as the nazi.

take care

Who'd have suspected Patrick was the Nazi!

FH451
I never asked, but since you made mention of it, I'll ask...

I understood that Ray had his stroke while enroute to Palm Springs in a car, with his wife driving. And that it was Mrs. Bradbury who then drove Ray to the hospital.... What's the story?
Mind as well get it right....

Hello Nard,

Not even close, I took him to PS on tuesday the 2nd of Nov 1999, He was to stay for 2 days and I was to pick him up on that thursday,
Wed the 3rd, he called me that he was coming down with a cold and that he wanted to come back to LA, that night.

While I was talking to him, I knew that it was more than a cold. There's a difference between a cold, someone who's been drinking and someone who just experience a stroke. I've been around all of them, most of my life.

I said that he should call a doctor. He said no that he was just coming down with a cold.
Thats was about 9:30am. I called a couple of his neighbors, one said that he looked ok, that maybe he was just hung over.
No way.

I called him back and said that I was coming out earlier, that was about 10:15am or so.
I got there just before noon.

I made it out to PS in about 1 1/2 hours, in a big stretch limo. I live in Culver City area to give you an idean. its about 125 miles.

When I got there, he was sitting in his chair. watchin TV. My hunch was right. I said, Mr B I think you had a stroke,
Oh no Oh No. I'm just coming down with a cold.

I said, lets go to the doctors just in case.
he said no that he wanted to go to his LA home and get in his own bed.

At that point, I would normally just taken him home, to LA

I said, that I'm sorry boss, but were going to the hospital, he said no, lets go to LA.
No way Mr B. were going to the hospital.
He said if we go anywhere other than LA, that we was going to fire me. We yelled back and forth, which felt like an hour.

He wouldn't get into the car. so I said ok let go to LA, when he got into the car, I drove right to the Eisenhower Hospital, in PS, the whole time he's yelling and firing me, calling me all kinds of names.

When we got to the Eme area, a doctor came, out, and the rest is history.

He stayed there for a couple of days, He wanted to go home, but the doctors, said that he should stay, for a couple of days.
When they let him out. he wanted me to drive him back to LA. The doctors said that he should stay local. and I said that I didn't want to drive all the way back to LA, with him in this type of condition.
So he hired a Ambulance and a nurse, to drive him. OUCH, big bucks. I could have gone to europe, with my whole family. for what he paid, but he wanted to go back to LA

But the doctors told him that he had to go right to a hospital in LA, so I followed the ambulance all the way to Santa Monica.

Which he stayed there for a few days and finally to UCLA hospital for a week or so.

That was almost 4 years ago.

Take care
Patrick




[This message has been edited by FH 451 (edited 10-18-2003).]

Patrick

If you are for real, then you are a true gem!

I second that pronouncement!

quote:

Originally posted by Nard Kordell:
Patrick

If you are for real, then you are a true gem!

Yes, someone I talked with at the play credited Patrick for "saving Ray's life." (I hope Ray was at least grateful afterwards! Anyhow, Patrick wasn't fired.) Sam Weller also wrote about this true life event and will include it in the book. Patrick, you are certainly more courageous than I and consequently don't have to live with the regrets I do. When my dad suffered his second stroke, he was finishing a job and Mom and I knew better than to try to get him to see a doctor or ANYTHING at such a time. I could have called my sister, a medical doctor who would have MADE him go to the hospital, but did not. His first stroke was quite light and he recovered in large part. I didn't realize his second stroke was much more serious! At the outset, he had just a bit of a limp. It wasn't the first time he'd fallen but it was the first time I had such a hard time getting him up. However, once up he was able to walk. Later he developed slightly slurred speech. Hours later, he couldn't walk, swallow, or hardly speak. Our minister came over during this but Dad was just so stubborn! Having a stroke is very scary and the person having it is not qualified to judge--they get into denial and can be quite obstinate. (Especially if strong-willed anyway, like Ray, or my dad!) Our minister didn't presume to insist he seek medical help right then. When we FINALLY got him into the hospital, he claimed he'd had "a light stroke." The first thing the doctor who came in to see him said was, "You've suffered a very serious stroke." As my sister said, poor bedside manner, really burst his bubble. Up until that time, Dad thought he'd be getting out of the hospital practically momentarily. I never got a straight answer from various doctors I asked, so never did learn, whether it was the sort of thing where the damage would have been less had we sought help right away, or whether it happened all at once but took a long while to fully show up. After his second stroke, he received care from nurses, which thankfully took the burden of making judgement calls off his non-medically knowledgeable family!

dandelion:
Moved back to Chicago to take care of a mother with Alzheimers. There is a book in this. At least a play. I know I can do a one man play of all the stages of Alzheimers after this. One thing for sure: I could never convince my mother anything was wrong. It's all that tiny glimpse of hell.
Patrick:
Will spend some time in LA. this December. Would be really nice to meet you....