DE KOONING
605
Cedar too. He had this way of sizing up new people very quickly.
We'd be sitting at a table and some young fellow would come in.
Pollock wouldn't even look at him, he'd just nod his head -like a
cowboy - as if to say, "fuck-off." That was his favorite expression–
"Fuck-off." It was really funny, he wouldn't even look at him. He
had that cowboy style. It's an American quality with artists and
writers. They feel that they have to be very manly.
VALLIERE;
I've heard that you wrestled with him at the Cedar Bar.
DE
KOONING: Oh yes. It was a joke, very friendly. He'd go berserk–
like a child - a small boy. We'd run, fight, jump on each other. Such
joy, such desperate joy.
But there was another side of him too. When he had money he
spent it and he began to dress with a great style. He had a nice
physique - tall with muscular arms that hung away from his body.
Tweed suits looked very good on him.
Franz Kline told me a story about one day when Pollock came
by all dressed up. He was going to take Franz to lunch - they were
going to a fancy place. Half-way through the meal Pollock noticed
that Franz's glass was empty. He said, "Franz have some more wine."
He filled the glass and became so involved in watching the wine pour
out of the bottle that he emptied the whole bottle. It covered the
food , the table, everything. He said, "Franz have some more wine."
Like a child he thought it was a terrific idea - all that wine going
all over. Then he took the four corners of the table cloth - picked it
up and set it on the floor. In front of all those people! He put the
goddamn thing on the floor - paid for it and they let him go.
Wonderful that he could do that. Those waiters didn't take any shit
and there was a guy at the door and everything.
It
was such an
emotion - such life.
Another time we were at Franz's place. Fantastic. It was small,
very warm and packed with people drinking. The windows were
little panes of glass. Pollock looked at this guy and said "You need
a little more air" and he punched a window out with his fist. At the
moment it was so delicious - so belligerent. Like children we broke
all the windows. To do things like that. Terrific.
