Saturday, August 20, 2005

A Grand Farewell

It looks like Hunter S. Thompson got his final wish. Early this morning fireworks containing ashes of the late Gonzo journalist were set off on his property near Aspen, Colorado. In attendance were about 250 of his closest family and friends, including his wife Anita, Johnny Depp, Bill Murray, Sean Penn, Lyle Lovett, and members of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. One report I read said Bob Dylan was even seen around Woody Creek this past week. I'm sure it was one hell of a party, just the way the good Doc would have wanted.

I was saddened to hear that Thompson took his own life last February, but I am glad he ended his life on his own terms. I first read "Fear and Loathing" in high school and again in college, along with "Hell's Angels", "The Great Shark Hunt", and most recently "Kingdom of Fear". Of all the literature I have read his writing stands out in my mind as some of the best. To this day everytime I eat a grapefruit and can't keep from smiling, thinking of Raoul Duke. If you are ever in Missoula, Montana, stop by Luke's Bar, where Thompson scratched the words "Death to the Weird" on the wall.

Mahalo Hunter.


Listening to: Beth Orton- Central Reservation

4 comments:

Satisfied '75 said...

Fitting sendoff for the Dr. Truly an American original.

Anonymous said...

Luke's has been gone for quite a while.

Anonymous said...

Too bad that they tore down Luke's nearly 20 years ago to replace it with a trendy Asian-fusion deli [which ended up failing, and I can't recall what's in that location now]. I know that such things as the original bar, and the photos or regulars that I think originated from a place called Eddie's, but I really would like to know [and found this blog in said search] whether anyone was able to preserve that bit of the east wall and where it might be now. Growing up in Msla, I frequently sat in the booth right next to that scrawl enjoying the ambiance and the fine tunes of "Betty for Sheriff"!

Contact me at qyud2@yahoo.com if you have any info about the eventual destiny of that bit of history.

Anonymous said...

Edited to make sense:

Too bad that they tore down Luke's nearly 20 years ago to replace it with a trendy Asian-fusion deli [which ended up failing, and I can't recall what's in that location now]. I know that such things as the original bar, and the photos of regulars, that I think originated from a place called Eddie's, did survive and have been resituated to such places as Charlie B's, but I really would like to know [and found this blog in said search] whether anyone was able to preserve that bit of the east wall and where it might be now. Growing up in Msla, I frequently sat in the booth right next to that scrawl enjoying the ambiance and the fine tunes of "Betty for Sheriff"!

Contact me at qyud2@yahoo.com if you have any info about the eventual destiny of that bit of history.