I did not know him well, but I respected him, as a writer and a human . I had met his his brother, Denis Michael, through the surreal gun dealer Mike Evans, before I ever met Cormac.
My visits were mundane and probably boring to a literary bystander- drinks at his favorite table in Sant fe. We mostly talked high falconry- he had a real, intelligent curioisity about the subject and more knowledge than most . He could be brusque, but not to me. I was diving into a rather baroque interpretation of Shakespeare’s ‘Hawk for a handsaw’ trope, that involved everything from the angle of light to the age of the birds, and Dennis said ” Dont you think thats unnecessarily elaborate? ‘
Meaning of course, total bullshit , which it more or less was, though I could defend it- I mean, how often do you get to talk about haut volerie with Cormac McCarthy?
But Denns- who is no fool, and a a biologist AND a lawyer, as is his wife!- would not back down until Cormac said “:Shut up Dennis- Steve knows what he is talking about!” Dennis subisided, but not without a complicit grin.
Another time he gave me status in a good bookstore. W were both browsing in the dark stacks when Nick called me me over to meet him, and he said no need for introductions-we had lunch together last week”
As we Boston Irish say, a gentleman and a scholar
Glad to see your writing again even if its an obit of another great author. Cormac so wonderful grime.