its clarity and total e memory surprised and hurt him in 1 sensory recall-smoky aroma of burning leaves , november sun twinkling on guardrail reflectors , and now , looking at the fox-tail in the display window of needful things , it struck him that it had been the best day of his life , one of the last days before the booze him into had caught him firmly in its rubbery , pliant grip , turning 1 i a weird variation of king midas : everything he had touched since then , it seemed , had turned to shit .