February 5-7, 1982 Ballard District, Seattle, Washington We leave the Sunset Hotel, where we live. We come out of the alley, around the corner. Half way down the block three men are tearing off the facing of an old building, on a ladder and leaning over the roof, with claw hammers and a crow’s foot. One …
Frances, “There’s a dog at our door, Timothy.” Tim, “They’re really loud, the mice.” (Frances: I lay on my stomach on the big bed, kissed and rekissed the inside of Timothy’s knees… I had a feeling of great warmth. Then I heard the scratching on our front door.) We get up, flip on the porch light …
Driving “Emma” the truck from California to Idaho TUESDAY, December 27, 1988. Tim: We got a late start but made it without incident from Santa Cruz to Fairfield … Frances: … where we stopped and I used a pay phone to get the weather conditions: Highway 80 was open, but chains required at Applegate, which is …
HARRISON HOTEL by Tim Tompkins with help from Frances Tompkins May 1982, West Oakland Angry voices, squealing tires gunshots in the street every night and the police never come. $46.50 a week cheapest room we could find they lock the door to the lobby even in the daytime. It’s almost midnight and someone’s in the …
Summer 1981 19 miles from nearest neighbor South of Platina, Tehama County, California Timothy: I was awake almost all of last night … the mouse. There’s a huge mouse who lives in this funky mobile home, with a body … well, at least three-and-a-half inches long, maybe four. Seems huge to me, for a mouse. …
December 12, 1980 Pipsqueak voices from the furnace vent newborns in the wall seeking the nipple Frances gave them cheese on a plate they took the grains in the cupboard We gave them the run of the stove they nested in the dresser We offered sanction from the neighbor cats they took the darkroom enlarger …
Spontaneous dialog recorded by Tim, transcribed by Frances — January 2012, San Juan Bautista, California. “This is a true story, so you may as well believe it.” Tim: This happened about three weeks ago but it’s still vivid. Let’s see, we were sick. Frances: We both had bronchitis. It was during the four-weekend run of …