Auld acquaintance

I went to the Clarion West party last night and was reminded again that it is a social gathering where I see acquaintances I'm unlikely to see elsewhere. Last night it was Marc Laidlaw, who is somebody I've known since our University of Oregon days. Hadn't seen him since a Clarion West party at John and Eileen's house a couple years ago. We sat and chatted for awhile, and talk turned to Tom Disch, whom we both started reading in our college years. Indeed, just chatting with Marc made me think of Disch via free association. When I first met him as a freshman, Marc was godlike figure to me because he had written a story with Greg Benford that had been published in Omni -- the most important SF magazine of the day -- and of course he went on to write a half dozen novels and continues to publish short stories in the SF magazines. Marc reminisced last night that when he first read Disch's 334 at the UO, it became his aspiration to write as well as that. I could relate. I told him that I had been surprised how hard Disch's death hit me.

We also talked a bit about another old college friend, Robert, whom neither of us has seen since his surprise 40th birthday party in Eugene seven or eight years ago, when much of the old gang showed up and turned it into a little reunion. Robert's wife, Roxanne, who was also a member of the old gang, left him not long after that, and he and Marc fell out of touch. Lately Marc called Robert's mother and confirmed that he's still living in Eugene and still working at the UO. "I haven't called him yet," Marc said, "because I know that'll be a six hour conversation."

Then the party swirled, and that was it until I run into him again at some point, if I do. When I saw him walk into the house, I thought, "Oh yeah, of course, Marc!" Hadn't expected it, but it was great to make contact again further along the great circle.