Now I had never run a website before so I learned as I went. Some Brit-based site led me to my co-editors Zeke Iddon (fiction) and Kelly Hallam (poetry). I was the one to blame for non-fiction.
Fugett and I were both living in Northern California. He was in San Francisco and I was in Sacramento. His lit mag was called Zygote in My Coffee and was the hottest thing running. Brian was a cartoonist.
I remember the poets flocking to get a poem in Zygote. It struck me as annoying at first, then I thought--why wouldn't they? They want to have their art shared with the same scene that I'm in. So with age came respect.
I was a huge fan of one of Fugett's cartoons Danny's Big Banana. A hilarious action figure sketch. It still makes me laugh today, just thinking about Fugett taking the time to set up those shots!
One time he gave me the chance to write a Danny. 2005, if you're taking notes. I don't have Internet this second but it's gotta be out there somewhere.
At the Collingwood Arts Center Toledo, Ohio--
Mike Grover was the inside guy at Collingwood. He helped set up a big reading there. It was a joint Zygote Red Fez reading. I met Fugett there. He waved hello in one of the ancient hallways. He was--I think--shooting a film.
Leopold McGinnis was there--someday I will learn to spell that cat's name right. I recently did that with Fugett--after the poor guy was already dead! Tim Murray was there of Red Fez radio fame. The lovely Michele McDannold attended as did the non-lovely Paul Corman Roberts. Wred Fright was there. JD Nelson came, Frankie Metro and his girl. So many underground stars!
We had another fun reading in Danville, Illinois, home to Dick Van Dyke and Gene Hackman--I used to deliver newspapers to his kin! It was outside at Kennekuk State Park. Fugett read his "This is the damn poem". It was another lifetime ago and I'm braininjured! So I have an excuse!
Now that I'm "retired" and have been put out to pasture by the man, I miss my friend. Yeah I call him that. His spirit brings me closer to fellow travelers that might've known him better than just met him.
Read his Brian Fugett Poems book, he's alive in that. Citizens For Decent Literature Press, ISBN 9798999707802 Edited by Aleathia Dreamer and Michele McDannold.
Pat Simonelli is a writer for Literary Vision Press. Temp address as of May 2026 = 128 Osborne St., #403, Danbury CT 06810 USA. We are happy to get the former Webmaster of The Underground Literary Alliance back online!
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