Novice Air Policeman
EGLIN AFB, FLORIDA-(Nov8)-S/Sgt. Manmountain Dense, a novice Air Policeman, was severely injured here today, when a wine bottle exploded inside the AP gatehouse at the west entrance to the base. Dense was incoherent for several hours after the disaster, but managed to make a statement which led investigators to believe the bottle was hurled from a speeding car which approached the gatehouse on the wrong side of the road, coming from the general direction of the SEPARATION CENTER.
Further investigation revealed that, only minutes before the incident at the gatehouse, a reportedly "fanatical" airman had received his separation papers and was rumored to have set out in the direction of the gatehouse at a high speed in a mufflerless car with no brakes. An immediate search was begun for Hunter S. Thompson, one-time sports editor of the base newspaper and well-known "morale problem." Thompson was known to have a sometimes over-powering affinity for wine and was described by a recent arrival in the base sanatorium as "just the type of bastard who would do a thing like that."
–Hunter S. Thompson, The Great Shark Hunt.
Hunter was a military man. He actually started his career as a Sports writer at Eglin Airforce Base. When he was honorably discharged, he wrote this little passage which is printed in The Great Shark Hunt. I was thinking about Hunter’s military life today, and figured I should post something about it.
Doug Brinkley says hello. He is on the home stretch of the third letters book. It looks great. It will be out by February! (The Gonzo Way will be out right after in March)
Anyway, I’m getting used to the NY life b/c I made an attitude adjustment. I now look at it more like living at sea. There are a few life-rafts, like my apartment, the library, my classrooms and a few restaurants & cafes where I can catch my breath. The rest of the city is an ocean of people & cars & horns in a constant state of motion. Millions of ambitious & angry people, running around — not smiling — just running sometimes with, sometimes against the current, but always in a hurry. Just like any other ocean, there is the floating debris; the lost souls — homeless people (those that I’ve talked to are extremely kind), looking at the pavement and walking SLOWLY. They are the only people NOT in hurry despite the whirlwind around them. NY could drive anyone crazy, but the trick, I think, is to remember to keep coming up for air, which for me usually means getting on the phone or email — like right now –I’m taking a breath to write to my gonzo friends.
I’m studying as much as humanly possible considering my rusty study skills. Even when I’m studying with earplugs, I’m aware of the undercurrent of activity outside my window — almost like crashing waves, but not as romantic.
Until next time, your friend up for air,
Anita Thompson
p.s. Congratulations Johnny!!
