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THE NON-WORKS
of
SAMUEL TYLDSLEY
 
 
 

 CHAPTER 3

     Samuel Tyldsley seldom gave interviews, but in November of 1957, he agreed to speak with Thomas Horn of Open Journal magazine.⁸  The interview was printed in the magazine's January, 1958 issue, volume 9, number 1.
     One question asked by Mr. Horn was whether Tyldsley had ever considered writing a novel or another form of longer fiction.  Tyldsley responded, "I started a novel once, but the characters wouldn't cooperate, so I had to end it rather abruptly." ⁹  It is not clear whether that remark inspired the following pages or if the reverse is true.
     The piece seems a parody of the way in which Tyldsley wrote.  His work begins with the author's whim, a bit of inspiration, but soon the work appears to develop a separate identity.  It has its own disposition and its own goals, seemingly in adversity to those of the author.  Tyldsley allows the work to shape itself, he but tempers the product.
     In this instance (an unfinished work) he allows the story to contradict itself while seeking its ending.  These discrepancies are a testament to the important role of impulse in the work of Samuel Tyldsley.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

     Amid the fading rays of sunset, he dreamt he saw her face.  The waves that crashed upon the sand seemed to chant her name...
     "Rubbish!!  Start again."
     Once again the sun arose to stir the creatures of the night.  Max couldn't understand why it bothered.
     "I can't understand why it bothers."
     See?
     "And my name's not Max!  It's Bill."
     Sorry.
     Bill paced his stark hotel room.
     "It does the hundred in 10.2."
     Empty.  Sterile.  Cold.  One thing bothered him...
     "Besides the sun?"
     One thing, other than the sun, bothered him, - towels,
ashtrays, soap, that's easy, but how could somebody steal the bed and get away with it?  Even the television set; they might have dressed like repairmen or something, but the bed? I mean... And then there was the carpet.  He was sure it was there last week.  A carpet: wall to wall, red,...and the bed, I mean...
     "Get on with it!!!"
     The world was lonely, even with his hamster, - and the sheep.  It was cold, so cold without her.
     He knew he must forget her.  Torturing himself wouldn't help.  He knew that.  He read it in a comic book. But how could he forget when every sound, each vibration whispered her name?  Her face was always there, before him.
     Still, he had to fight it; perhaps he would remove her picture from his eyeglasses.
     "Good move."
     Quiet!!
     "C'mon, I'm the main character and I've only had one line so far - and that was second-hand."
     Shut up or you won't get any lines!
     "You have to give me lines, it's in my contract."
     Which contract?  The one you're breaking?
     "    "
     That's better.
     It was no use.  He couldn't forget her.  To live without her was not to live at all; to but breathe within a walking grave, a tomb of self-pity, without a soul, without a name...
     "Bill."
     Shh!!!
     He must go back - to fight for what was his, even if she didn't know it was his.
     He burst into the room
     "That was fast."
     and saw them together.
     "Pack your things, you're coming with me!", he roared.
     'What?!', shrieked a stranger.
     He burst into another room and saw another them together.
     "Pack your - Mary?"
     "'Yes?'"
     "Good.  Pack your things, you're coming with me!", he roared. (again)
     "''Don't be a greater fool than you've already been, Bill.''", countered Ray.
     "''I did what?!''"
     Forget it!
     "''Why should she go with you?''"
     Mary was in tears.
     "Where's that?"
     Be QUIET!!
     "'Because I love him. I never stopped loving him. Can you forgive me, Bill?'"
     "No."
     Bill shot her.
     "Will you pack or not?"
     "''I'll be ready in five minutes, Bill.''"
     Bill shoots him too.
     "Stupid fag."
     Bill took his bathrobe from a chair...
     "After a fierce struggle."
     and left, knowing his life would now be complete.
 
 

     Okay?
     ""Much better, thank-you.""
 
 

        The song playing is Pink Floyd's "The Great Gig in the Sky".  It can be found at And in the Dark