Harlan was a good friend and mentor to me throughout his life — he was extremely kind and generous to those he liked and respected. He was sharp-tongued, defensive, and basically “came out swinging” to those he did not like or respect. It was usually about money or disrespect — Harlan was always in favor of the “little guy” and he was a poor young man who grew up to have money and influence which he used on behalf of others who were less fortunate, especially writers. It was ludicrous for him to be accused of “sexual harassment” for his clumsy joking with Connie Willis. She remained silent through the incident, enjoying the trouble directed at him. None who criticized him knew him at all, had ever spoken to him in depth and did not know that he had marched for the ERA as well as in the Civil Rights movement, and even been beaten by cops in Alabama. I heard one of them talking about him “smoking” and being drunk. Both lies — his pipe was a prop he never lit up and he never touched alcohol in his life. Harlan’s outspoken nature was a bellwether, I suppose.

Harlan probably thought I was attractive, but he never got out of line. He told me I had grown from a good writer to a great one. Gordon Van Gelder often put us in the same issue of F & SF and therefore — he often read my writing.