Asphalt Warrior

Gary Reilly grew up in North Denver and always wanted to be a writer. He was in my brother Tim's class at Holy Family. Unfortunately Gary died last year but he left for us 11 novels, the first of which has been published by Running Meter Press. In his first novel, Asphalt Warrior, Gary tells the story of Murph the cab driver Reilly captures the vicissitudes, the rough and tumble life of cabbies here in Denver. Readers will appreciate and identify with the many experiences and folks Murph encounters while driving his cab. Former news reporter, Mark Stevens, and editorial cartoonist, Mike Keefe, have teamed up to publish Gary's book. Murph is a great character who brings his daily wages home to his apartment on Capitol Hill. He hides his hard earned money in a copy of James Joyce's Finnegan's Wake. I like Murph. Murph sarcastically quips that nobody would ever steal "sunny Jim's" labyrinthine novel off the shelf of his crowded library. And the cabbies in this story do not swear. I must check that out, not sure I've ever heard a cab driver swear. Murph's girlfriend is named Mary Margaret Flaherty, and I have a cousin by that name. My brother mentioned he never told Reilly about my mom's maiden name, Flaherty. Maybe I did. Hope we'll meet Mary Margaret in the next novel. And I am sure Tattered Cover Bookstore had no idea why Tuesday, June 5th, 2012 would be a propitious night to read selections from Gary's book. But I know Gary had something to do with this. No use in being Irish, if you are not a little superstitious. Early that very evening from 4:30 to 7, from all of eternity, Venus will transit or pass in front of the sun. So after you watch Venus seductively and gracefully waltz in front of the garish sun, join us at Tattered Cover, 16th and Wynkoop to get to know Gary Reilly's Asphalt Warrior. Program starts at 7:30, please tell your friends. Be sure not to look directly at the sun, you know why.