he said, "I was working in Hollywood when Faulkner was br working in Hollywood and he was br the worst: he was too drunk to stand up at the br end of the afternoon and so I had to help him br into a taxi br day after day after day. br br "but when he left Hollywood, I stayed on, and while I br didn't drink like that maybe I should have, I might have br had the guts then to follow him and get the hell out of br there." br br I told him, "you write as well as br Faulkner.: br br "you mean that?" he asked from the hospital br bed, smiling.