/r/Music

I used to work at Strand bookstore in NYC, in the basement. The uncorrected poetry proofs were stored there and Tom Verlaine came in for them all the time. At least once a week. My friend Jack - dead these last 16 years come May - knew I was a huge fan. So he played a trick on me. He waited until Tom was behind me one day and I didn't know it. "Hey, aren't you a huge Television and Tom Verlaine fanatic?" So of course I gushed like a little girl.

Jack spun me around and I was immediately staring up into Tom's face. He smiled this really sheepish smile and just said "Wow, thanks, what's your name, man?" After that day he greeted me by name.

I left NYC. 5 years later I went back, walked by Strand and he was outside on the sidewalk looking at the discount racks. I caught his eye as I walked by and I heard "Hey (real name) what's going on? I haven't seen you in a long time." We talked for about 20 minutes. That was the last time I saw him.

RIP Tom.