And You Thought a Black Cat Was Bad Luck

[Erik T. Burns]

Pynchon : And You Thought a Black Cat Was Bad Luckfull article is behind the
NYT costwall. http://cttrips.blogspot.com/ is the blog cited. has a
facsimile of the elder pynchon's article.
etb

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And You Thought a Black Cat Was Bad Luck
Our Towns
By Peter Applebome
19 February 2006
The New York Times

 MERIDEN, Conn. -- THE most famous account of the mysterious Black Dog of
the Hanging Hills hinges on this portentous declaration: ''It may seem
strange that a man of science should believe a thing of this kind -- an idle
tale for the ignorant and superstitious, you will say -- but I do believe
it. And if you would know why, listen:''
And thus commences a tale told more than a century ago by one W. H. C.
Pynchon. It concerns a dog, the color of ''an old black hat that has been
soaked in the rain'' that wanders the craggy volcanic hills and valleys
around Meriden. Meet it once, the legend goes, it shall be for joy. Meet it
twice, it shall be for sorrow. Meet it a third time, you're dead.

So it might also seem strange that on Friday, a thoroughly modern man of
science, a natural science blogger, author, and energetic bundle of
enthusiasms named Brendan Hanrahan was excitedly prowling the West Peak of
the Hanging Hills, the very spot Pynchon had visited more than a century
ago.

''What a beautiful day to be up here,'' he shouted over a howling wind, the
fog, drizzle and chill giving the scene a sort of ''Wuthering Heights''
effect. ''It's just like the weather must have been when Pynchon was here.''

Or maybe it's not so strange at all. Tell it in a 19th century journal, post
it on a 21st century blog, throw in sundry wispy mysteries and who could
resist the black dog's spell?

In truth, the black dog, sometimes with fiery red eyes, is a persistent
figure in folk tales around the world, like the hound that entered a church
during a violent storm on Aug. 4, 1577, in Bungay, England, where it killed
two people and injured another. Or so it's said. I wasn't there.

..... snip....

But then, any reader of Pynchon the younger would know not to be too smug
about what we think we know. So maybe there's an evil black dog atop the
Hanging Hills and maybe it's just fodder for scary campfire tales. But if
you see one there, it might be a good idea not to go back.
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