Tomie loved his yard sales. Me? Not so much. He had been talking about having another one. I would silently scream, “No-o-o-o-o!” Here are photos from the last one. A staff of 15 and The Boss: Eight dedicated cashiers, including two credit card cashiers. A sister, brother-in-law, a niece, two nurses and their sons, two booksellers, two cousins, a physical therapist, a Tuck School of Business director, a New London Selectperson, and me. Oh! Not to be forgotten… Elvis. Thousands of items gone in 90 minutes. (Bob)
REMEMBERING TOMIE on April 24, 2020
Caitlin was a school teacher in Florida. Her plan: Fly to Boston in the morning. Go to Tomie’s autographing at I Am Books in the North End of Boston to get some books signed. Fly back to Florida in the evening. The problem: Hundreds went to the bookstore and the wait time to meet Tomie was hours. Caitlin eventually asked if she could jump to the front of the line so she wouldn’t miss her flight home. Tomie was always grateful for the extraordinary support he got from teachers. (Bob)
REMEMBERING TOMIE on April 23, 2020
Tomie’s friend Charles Massey met Sarah Jessica Parker through the theatrical management agency where he worked. Tomie and Charles went to see SJP in “Annie” on Broadway in 1978. Charles took Tomie backstage to meet SJP. Tomie was surprised that SJP had a copy of THE CLOWN OF GOD, just published, for him to sign. SJP’s mother (far left), Barbara, would often attend Tomie’s autographings in New Jersey with her family. Here they were at Books and Greetings in Northvale, NJ, in 2013. An aside. In Season 1, Episode 8, SJP’s character in “Sex and the City” visited a publisher of children’s books. Several children’s books, presumably ones the editor published, lined the windows behind her desk. At least three of the books were Tomie’s. When the camera focused, face forward, on the editor, THE CLOWN OF GOD is along the window off her right shoulder. Does Tomie get credit for starring in an episode of “Sex and the City”? (Bob)
REMEMBERING TOMIE on April 22, 2020
Shayla of Thomasville, Georgia, sent this drawing, in 2014, of Tomie as a tap dancer. We assumed that she put a pen in his right hand so that he could sign autographs after he completed his difficult dance routine. (Bob)
REMEMBERING TOMIE on April 21, 2020
Tomie participated in an event for the New Hampshire Humanities Council five years ago. Owen surprised Tomie with his chicken feet “hands” at the autographing. Background. The book, TOM. Tomie’s Irish grandfather Tom, a butcher, gave Tomie real chicken feet. Tom showed Tomie how to pull the tendon of the chicken foot to open and close the foot. Young Tomie painted the claws red with his mother’s nail polish. He went to school hiding the chicken feet up his sleeves, and terrorized classmates by surprising them with chicken feet that opened and closed. Owen didn’t have real chicken feet hidden up his sleeves. He had rubber chicken feet. Upper right photo. How’s THAT for joy? (Bob)
