Table of Contents
The Pinball Machine 1
Happy Trails to You, Roy Rogers and Charles Manson 9
Grandpa Kilmer's Grave in Truth or Consequences 23
Father's Flying Dream, Facing the Chief 35
Spooked by Love 41
The Deepest Wound 47
THE Juilliard School 55
Tadashi Suzuki and the Elusive Nature of Fate 63
Cher Likes My Harley 71
Top Secret! 79
Real Genius 95
Fathers Son 105
New Mexico Is Called the "Land of Enchantment" or, as I'm Proud to Have Coined, the "Land of Entrapment" 109
I Did Top Gun, Son 115
You're So Twain (Carly) 123
Let's Go Upstairs 129
Willow 135
The Doors 143
Shattered 153
Brando 157
Confusions & Contradictions 163
Thunderheart 167
Colic Convulsion Then Holy Miracle 171
Doc Holidays 175
True Romance 183
Eugene D. Kilmer 187
The Kudu 193
Batman, but Forever? 197
Take the Heat 203
Birth & Death 209
The Island Is Dr. Moreau 213
Crocodiles & Ecstasy 221
The Sinner Is the Saint 227
More, More, More 231
Never the Twain Shall Meet 237
Soft Opening 241
Declarations of Independence 245
Gay as a Pink Hairnet 247
Siren on a Snowboard 255
Hiding from God 259
Kiss Kiss Kiss Goes the Indie, Bang Bang Bang Goes the Downey 265
Land 275
Glory & Gore 287
Denial vs. Denial 291
The Iceman Cometh Again 295
HelMel 297
Photo Credits 307
Acknowledgments 309