Hello fellow HST fans. I used to live outside of Aspen in a town called Basalt, CO. One summer I had applied for a two week job at the Woody Creek Post OFfice. Friends had said I would meet Hunter since he picked his mail from this location. I had great dreams of writing stories about our chats and all. Unfortunately, the job didn't pan out as I had just had knee surgery and medically the Post OFfice wouldn't pass me for my physical. Oh well , nice try , eh?
That fall my father had passed away and I needed to move back to Denver. That was in 2001
Just last week I was in New York City to honor my dad and his family. HE was born and raised in Queens and I have been wanting to go back for awhile. Possibly to spread some of his ashes in his city, to visit family neighborhoods, see the museums and sights. I am an art teacher and planned the trip around the Christo "The Gates" art installation in Central Park as well. Really amazing.. I thought it was great and interesting to hear and talk about people's thoughts on the whole deal. To me it meant a memorial not only to the city of NYC after 9/11 but to my family and a sort of healing to find peace with my dad's death.
I went to the Modern Museum of Art on MOnday 2/22. I was trying to see if my Denver Art Museum card would get me a discount or free entry. The Met had worked for a free entry the day before due to museum reciprocacy.. not bad for NYC. At the MOMA the guy helping me said they didn't have such a deal with other museums. Then he mentioned that Hunter S. Thompson had died since he knew I was from Colorado. I had no idea since I was on vacation and had not read a paper or had seen the news recently. It threw me for a curve to say the least. I asked how he died and he told me what had happened. Then he decided to give me a FREE ticket into the museum(worth $20!) in honor of HST. This was extremely cool of him and really awesome. Sad thing is that my father commited suicide as well and I mentioned this to the guy working. Then he mentioned he was sorry and I deserved to get in free. Pretty ironic, sad and great at the same time.
I would like to think that Hunter and my dad are playing cards and having some beers up in Heaven.. maybe even painting or fishing or something.
So I guess I almost meet him afterall or a leas he got me into the MOMA in NYC.. thanks Hunter and Dad!
Jan
Denver, Colorado.
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