Flowers, roses, PSP6

A play by

Sandra Mason

The inspiration for "Return of an Angel"

In October of 1929 Look Homeward, Angel was published. In his first novel Thomas Wolfe had described, in shocking detail, the people of Asheville, his own family, his friends and his neighbors. In unison the town cried for revenge and threatened to drag his huge carcass through the public square if he ever showed his face again. It would be seven long years before Thomas Wolfe would return to Asheville.

In 1937 my father was a bicycle boy for Western Union. It was in that same year that Thomas Wolfe came home again. My father joined with many others as they gathered around the famous author as he walked again the streets of his hometown. To that kid on the bicycle nothing in this small mountain town could have been so exciting. He would squeeze through the crowd to get a better look at the celebrated author. Thomas Wolfe stood more than 6 feet 5 inches tall. His long arms carved the air with dramatic flair as he told story after story of places far away, of times more romantic. Thomas Wolfe was, and remained, bigger that life.

While I was growing up there was a tall bookcase that stood by the staircase in our living room. On a high shelf was our copy of Look Homeward, Angel. The cover was gone. The bindings were worn and frayed. Inside, on almost every page, were long passages that were underlined. Sometimes the passages were underlined in pencil, sometimes in pen. It was apparent that different people at different times had left their marks. In the margins one could make out the names of the real people and places that Thomas Wolfe had described.

I had, of course, seen the names. I had read the underlined passages. Still, it had never occurred to me that I might, through research, learn more about the people that Thomas Wolfe had described. It was years later that I saw an article in a magazine about Thomas Wolfe. The article mentioned that his mistress was Aline Bernstein and that she was called Ester Jack in the novel You Can't go Home Again. I began to read everything I could about the people and the times that Thomas Wolfe had so vividly and transparently described. It was not long before I found the story I wanted to tell. I wanted to tell the story of Asheville and how the publication of Look Homeward, Angel had changed the lives of the people living in my hometown. Return of an Angel is that story.

I hope that you find these people and this time as fascinating as I did. I am delighted that the premiere of "Return of an Angel" will be a part of the first Thomas Wolfe Festival since the devastating fire of Old Kentucky Home......Sandra L. Mason