CECIL BROWN
285
Williams:
That was during the sixties, but the truth of the matter is
that this particular lady, who was in her eighties, she and her
daughter had decided to dismiss him because of his drinking habit.
But, you know, people make up all kinds of stories about me.
Int.:
What about Donald Windham? Your long friendship with him is
so impressive.
Williams:
Donald Windham and I have much the same heritage, you
know, I love that man, as a friend.
Int.:
But you were never lovers?
Williams:
Never, never. The first night I met him, he was the most
beautiful boy I'd ever seen, and I was introduced to him by Harold
Vinal, a poetry editor, one of the first people I met in New York. He
brought me over to this apartment, this pad, on Fifty-Second Street,
which was called "Swing Alley" or "Jazz Alley" or something in
those days. He had a little walk-up, a cold water flat so we went over
there and I was enchanted by Windham's appearance, by his face and
we started dancing to the music from the place below and I kissed
him and this Indian boy came up to me and said, "you'd better cool
that" or something
to
that effect, "his lover doesn't like it." So it
stopped right there. I've always been very scrupulous in those
matters. I don't like
to
intrude in love relationships.
Int.:
A Foul-Mouthed Gossip has it that you used your plays for a
casting couch.
Williams:
There is no truth
to
those rumors. I have always kept my
professional work in the theater free of my love life.
In
the first place,
I regard theater too seriously to compromise it with sex scenes. I am
not very promiscuous. I am a sensual person, however; I think the
artist has
to
be a sensual person. I certainly don't indulge in
seduction with actors. My friendship with Donald became a very
beautiful friendship that has endured, that could have endured
indefinitely.
Int.:
You saw that it would be better to leave the good things the good
things?
Williams:
Neither of us made any decisions; things just intruded. Our
lives just drifted apart; I don 't know if they will ever come back
together again, but I regard things that were perfect once as remain–
ing perfect always. Sometimes it would be a mistake to try to put it
back together-you discover so many differences that didn't exist,
but it's better to keep it preserved in the amber (hahaha), except he
knows that I love him.
Int.:
You were described by Donald Windham as being extremely
diligent when you were young.
