And Never, Ever, No Matter

The Great Trains Howling From Track To Track All Night. The Taut And Telegraphic Murmur Of Ten Thousand City Wires, Drawn Most Cruelly Against A City Sky. The Rush Of City Waters, Beneath The City Streets. The Passionate Passing Of The Night's Last El.

The Avocation Of Assessing The Failures Of Better Men Can Be Turned Into A Comfortable Livelihood, Providing You Back It Up With A Ph.d.

And Never, Ever, No Matter What Else You Do In Your Whole Life, Never Sleep With Anyone Whose Troubles Are Worse Than Your Own.

Never Play Cards With A Man Called Doc. Never Eat At A Place Called Mom's. Never Sleep With A Woman Whose Troubles Are Worse Than Your Own.

You Don't Write A Novel Out Of Sheer Pity Any More Than You Blow A Safe Out Of A Vague Longing To Be Rich. A Certain Ruthlessness And A Sense Of Alienation From Society Is As Essential To Creative Writing As It Is To Armed Robbery.