Close Encounters: Jerzy Kosinski
November 23, 2007• (0) Comments
A Thanksgiving Day investment board discussion at The Motley Fool turned up a literary reference to Chauncey (Chance) Gardiner, the character played by Peter Sellars in Hal Ashby’s 1979 film adaptation of Jerzy Kosinski’s novel, Being There. A poster in the thread quoted Chauncey to counsel patience during November’s rough patch in the markets. Instead, I was reminded of a “chance” encounter of my own and dashed off this reply. At 2am in a dark bar in NYC, you’re liable to encounter anybody. More liable, perhaps, if your tastes run to famous authors and strenuous conversation.
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Chance is one of my favorite literary characters. Quite a few years ago as a dissolute youth, I found myself at 2am in an empty bar on the edge of NYC’s meatpacking district. It was a long time before that area became a happening place, but this bar was a notable warm spot on a dark street and my buddy and I simultaneously, impulsively ordered our cabby to pull over. The room was empty, but it smelled the way livelier places sometimes do and it had two significant things going for it: it was open and the bartender was a good-looking gal of about 26. There was a good chance she could use the company.