Mud in the Catskills
Jesus Christ, I don’t know what happened to the day. Sorry!
In 1959, Hunter lived in the Catskills. He was broke, lonely, hungry and cold. But he sure did some fine writing. You can read all about it in the Proud Highway.
Here is an excerpt from one of the many stories he wrote while living there. The story has not been published. Hunter forgot about many of these stories until Doug Brinkley discovered them while in the basement with Hunter working on The Proud Highway in the 90’s
Several years later, in 2003, Hunter and I compiled all those stories and more into a manuscript. I’m sad that we didn’t actually have a title for that short story book when Hunter died, but I think the title will jump out when the time is right.
The Estate is always working on multiple projects and I hope the short story manuscript will be at the top of our list soon. I’ll of course keep you posted.
I’d been living there for about a year when the basement began to cave in. The combined pressure of spring rains and melting snow was too much for the rock-dirt walls, and they crumbled like rotten river banks in a flood; collapsing, slowly but surely, into a mud bog that grew an inch or two deeper with each passing day. The landlord, too lazy and too blind to make the repairs himself, declined to take action for almost three weeks. It was only when the mud began to bury the hot-water heater that the indolent old bastard agreed to do something about it.
–Hunter S. Thompson, “The Almost Working Artist” (unpublished short story)
I’m told to mention that all of Hunter’s writing is property of the Estate of Hunter S. Thompson. (needless to say, we are dedicated to making more of Hunter’s life and work available to you)
Until tomorrow, your friend,
Anita Thompson
