hey rube......

" Oh No, It's that cop we set on fire."

That's a line from "The Rum Diary"  the movie based on a novel by Hunter Thompson. If such a thing is possible, the movie is  a long distance love letter to the good Doctor.

The theme of the movie is basically a writer looking for his "voice". The Thompson character ,Paul Kemp, talks about that search a number of times throughout.,  All the elements of his eventual style are on display, drinks, drugs, general excess, FEAR, . A Sancho Panza like sidekick. A healthy disrespect for authority , the bastards, Nixon.

There is also a romantic angle , a love interest for the love of God, something that seldom if ever appears in his later writing . Off hand I can't think of (m)any females in his writing, his was a boys club of debauchery. According to his biographies there was an abundance of female companions, but seldom did they make it to his work.

Of course , years later, when he finds his "Voice" it is one of the most recognizable of the 20th century. After the first paragraph you know whose hand is on the Selectric.

I discovered Thompson like many with Ffear and loathing in Las Vegas".  I'm reading, I'm thinking- Who the hell is this guy? Is this for real? Could any of this possibly happen? Can any human possibly tolerate this much abuse?
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After a bit , it starts to sink in, it might not all be factual, but it's all true. On first blush it seems that he is the center of all his reporting, (and many blushes later as well) but as you continue you see that he's telling the bigger story, The tales of Fear and Loathing. Betrayal, Lost Hope, Lost innocence.

For all his savagery he often comes across as wounded by greed and deception. Kurt Vonnegut wrote about Thompson and said he was a canary in a coal mine, the first one to register distress. sounds about right.

I was a huge fan, but I had no delusions, I knew that if I ever met him , I would last maybe five minutes.

Here's a bit of evidence to prove my case: Bill Murray played Thompson in the Movie "Where the Buffalo Roam"  They met poolside at some hotel before the movie , Thompson tied Murray to a lounge chair (securely) everyone is laughing,he then pushes Murray into the pool.Nearly drowning the star of his movie.

Exhibit 2: He's going to meet Johnny Depp at the Woody Creek Tavern (his hometown bar) Depp is in the back, Hunter makes his way through the crowd with a cattle prod and taser.

Back in 76 he came to speak at Fredonia, where I went to school. This was right around the time his fame began to become Myth. He was feuding with John Denver (of all people) and Garry Trudeau had introduced the character Duke into Doonesbury. In attitude and appearance Duke was Thompson. Hunter was not amused, what did he think of Trudeaus tribute? "I'll tear his lungs out" Hyperbole? Maybe.

In the two weeks before he reached us Thompson was making national news, he was on a college speaking tour and most nights , if he showed up, were turning into drunken rampages as he would attack the audiences for mentioning Doonesbury.

I couldn't wait. Finally the day arrived, it was part of a weekend long journalism conference, only a select group of about 200 were allowed in, the air was electric. Oh did I mention, it was 10 am. He was coming directly from the Buffalo airport, was he a morning person.

At 10 am on the dot , he entered the room- in full regalia, Hawaiian shirt, sunglasses (which stayed on), chuck Taylors. He was introduced by the moderator , my journalism professor, I can't remember his name, but he was a bow tie, tweed jacket, tortoise frame, kinda guy.They were perfect, the two of them sitting behind that table in the lecture room.

From his airline bag Thompson took out a bottle of whiskey and a six pack. Next came a small cocktail pitcher and a bag of ice. Ice in the pitcher followed by the whiskey. Popped open a beer, light a cigarette and told us that he didn't have any prepared remarks , but he would be happy to answer questions. And for the next 90 minutes he did.

He had the rumble- mumble of a voice even then. He was funny and charming and loved to talk about papers and politics, I think he might have even answered a Doonesbury question. During those 90 minutes he finished the six pack and put a major dent in the whiskey and remained "sober" throughout.

It was a thrill. I'm glad i got close, but that was close enough.

I was heartbroken years later when he died. In failing health he shot himself- no surprise I guess , surrounded by guns and drink and drugs  that might qualify as natural causes.

Even in death he was one of a kind- google his memorial service overseen by Depp. .