Amidst awkward doodles and abandoned sketches a few scribbled fragments hide the outline of a thought, embryonic shape of literary creature A sheet crumpled is found in sorting the thrill of a fleeting glimpse caught, a passion for letters rekindled, and Zen months and a sennite pass in the hollow pursuit of hollow men yearning to live on the lips of others In quiet study a man of privilege keeps atop antique gueridon, a small manuscript a curious work of unknown sources kept safe for eons from history's grip From mysterious ancient symbols the silhouette of a character emerges a peek of a mature personality begun with scribbles on a crumpled paper 9-V-2005