RARA-AVIS: Willeford and teeth

From: William Denton ( buff@pobox.com)
Date: 07 Jan 2001


I'm reading MIAMI BLUES right now, and on the re-reading I can see how Willefordian it is. The first time I read it, the only Willeford I'd read was PICK-UP, and the book's cover lead me to think of him as some sort of nutty Miami guy like Elmore Leonard or Carl Hiaasen. It was the scene (in the second book?) where Hoke is on that farm, undercover, and realizes he has to kill the two men running it, that really grabbed me and made me realize how good Willeford was. Since then I've read almost all his books, and my opinion has only gone up.

There was some talk about food in Willeford books, but I'd like to know about a related item, teeth. In MIAMI BLUES Freddy steals Hoke's dentures, Susan's teeth are described, Hoke pops his choppers out to show them off, etc. Hoke's dentures are mentioned in all the books, and his daughters have those braces. Did Willeford mention teeth in other books? I can't remember if they come up elsewhere. I wonder if he had dental problems.

Coincidentally, I noticed today that the first line of Orwell's COMING UP FOR AIR is "The idea really came to me the day I got my new false teeth," which could be the opener to a Willeford story.

Has anyone ever seen a yellow jumpsuit for sale? I don't think they make them any more.

Bill

-- 
William Denton : Toronto, Canada : http://www.miskatonic.org/ : Caveat lector.

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