You know you’ve seen or heard that some place, but where or when was it? You’ve probably known someone who fit the description, but that’s not it. If you’ve walked around Market Square and you’ve looked higher than ground level, your gaze may have fallen on this window. It’s a reference to a reference. It is the title of the one-man play by R.B. Morris, the title of which is in turn referring to an alleged incident in the life of James Agee, author of A Death in the Family (Penguin Classics)
and Let Us Now Praise Famous Men: The American Classic, in Words and Photographs, of Three Tenant Families in the Deep South
, in which a neighbor chalked those words on the wall of Mr. Agee’s apartment building, due apparently to his sometimes unusual behavior. Incidentally, many of Walker Evan’s photographs used in the later book are on display at the KMA as we speak.
and Let Us Now Praise Famous Men: The American Classic, in Words and Photographs, of Three Tenant Families in the Deep South, in which a neighbor chalked those words on the wall of Mr. Agee’s apartment building, due apparently to his sometimes unusual behavior. Incidentally, many of Walker Evan’s photographs used in the later book are on display at the KMA as we speak.
I wonder how many people read the sign and think it’s just somebody being funny, when in fact it is a direct tip of the hat to our cultural history. Here’s a question: Who lives there? Do any of my readers know? I’ll have to investigate as time allows. At any rate, for now, if you didn’t know already, now you know to raise a glass to James Agee when you pass that way, again.
One additional word: R.B. has a newly designed web page and a new book of poetry called “Keeping the Bees Employed.” He’s hoping folks will pre-order a copy so that he might raise funds to get it into circulation. The first autographed copies will go to the people who pre-order. Support local artists. They support us.