I like the story -- without entirely believing it --that he invested sagaciously in the stock market and lived comfortably long after he retired from the book trade.
I saw him the odd time at his work on the street. Sorry to say I never bought anything.
Update, May 7: Writer Richard Grayson, friend and colleague to Crad Kilodney, assures me Kilodney's investment portfolio was not invented. Kilodney inherited his Greek-American grandparents' estate, retired from street-selling his works, and got seriously into the investment trade using his real name. Grayson:
I was very skeptical of mining stocks, and told him it was boring and old hat, and suggested he just either put into good index funds or look at high-tech companies -- most of my relatives had only lost money in Canadian mining stocks -- but Crad was pretty sure of himself. He learned a lot. I am freaked out, knowing him as I did, by seeing all those photos of him in a suit with people involved in the mining industry. I think one reason people are keeping his name secret is that he may have been known by his real name as an investor. I last saw him in the late 80s or early 90s, and had not been much in touch until last year after he told me about his fatal illness, so I can't be sure of this. But I am certain he was fairly wealthy.So it seems not to be a clever fictional flourish, but a true life history.
