Character: Pierre / Wilber / Hansen in Factotum and Confessions of a Man.... (1 Viewer)

in both "Factotum" and "confessions of a man insane enough to live with the beasts" Bukowski describes an incident where he meets a girl called laura or pepper and she takes him to the house of a one armed , very rich,eccentric man called peire or Hansen. i know the character of laura is based on Jane but i was just wondering if the incident is based in reality or is just pure fabrication. Sounes as far as i can remember does not mention anything about it in his biography. if anyone knows anything about this i would appreciate any information.
 
Hi Melancholic,

The character you are referring to in Factotum is named Wilber Oxnard, the one-armed man who plays the organ and wants Bukowski to write a script/libretto for an opera. He's rich, eccentric and loves/needs the whores. The incident with the three women on Oxnard's boat appears to be based upon a true story (with no doubt, some artistic and literary exaggeration).

Buk also discusses the boat and the three women on Barbet Schroeder's The Bukowski Tapes - the segment where he says that the man's boat was named the "Will-Can." (But he withheld the man's real name.) According to Bukowski, the situation lasted a relatively short time, but it seems to have been a favorite of Bukowski's and he drew upon it more than once. Hope this helps.
 
Thanks alot poptop. now that you mention it i do rember Bukowski talking about it on the Bukowski Tapes. I mixied up the name peire and wilbur because i recently re-watched the movie Factotum and they re-named wilbur's character Peire. A stupid Mistake.
 

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