The inimitable fascination of the enchanter

He was the one at the end of the night who put the hat on the dawn. Gian Carlo Fusco never left a single night without his words. He stayed up late, drank and, above all, told stories. Always the centre of attention, he led the discussions and everyone was enthralled by him. A real talent. Narrator, spellbinder, showman. Fireworks, irony, an endless stream of anecdotes. Stories, stories, stories: a travelling show. He was born to tell stories, and to give of himself. The rest: life, body, feelings, work and money, were mere details, accessories — sometimes hindrances. He was a talking novel. A novel written in the sand, lost and found again, deleted and rewritten a million times. Each time a different tale. And yes, even the same one he could toss and mix as he liked. Cutting, stretching, changing and inventing, leaving it open-ended. Genius in action, helped by the night and the booze.