Famous People: Carson McCullers

I was in my 20s, had read a few novels of hers, knew she was living in Nyack--I was working for a N.J. newspaper--and I was entranced by the dim, romantic photo of her on the book'sback cover--(I was single then)--

I entered the room, saw an old lady, and continued looking around--but it was her--

Interview wasbrief--sheanswered questions yes or no--later I read that she had been told to answer all questions yes or no--the article I wrote contained a lot of material that had already been published--

Shetold me that a review of a novel of hers by Chas Poore in the Times had made her cry--the name suited him, she added--

I praised the performance of Julie Harris in the filmof Member of the Wedding--CM uttered not a word--looked cold--

I asked her (discourteously) what she thought of the comment that she belonged to the decayed magnolia school of Southern writing--got her mad--"what do YOU think it means?"

When I began to leave, she warmly grabbed my right hand--I was disconcerted--and the memory of that has lingered--

Walking in Nyack recently, I was startled to discover her house--I had not even remembered where I had interviewed her--