gardner memory

[MASCARO at humnet.ucla.edu]

Back in 1979 or 80 I saw Gardner at a SUNY writer's conference in Buffalo.  
All decked out in the Marlon Brando look w/ the short studded leather jacket
 and the Attitude a'plenty.  I remember him constantly attended by bevies of comely
 babes all looking like English majors trying hard to look worldly and sophisticated.
  He swaggered through the conference to all intents disgusted with everything
 he saw.  A pretty insufferable little guy, all in all, from the public persona at least. 
 Then he stepped to the mike and blew away about 800 people by reading
 a short piece of *metafiction* (I don't remember him using the word, but I remebr
 someone using it) about a deer liking a salt block in which someone has
 embedded a razor blade.  The deer licking, bleeding to death as it licks. 
 And the whole thing a parable of reading and writing.
 A fantastic moment.  Earned my deep respect, despite the twitty
 critical opinions (but clearly, if you can walk the walk you can talk 
the talk and I think this was his attitude).  Does anyone know if he
 ever published this --I don't know what to call it--not really a
 short story--vignette? Tableau?

john m