This Is The Most Public of My Many Humiliations
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
As I awoke yesterday morning,I was surprised to hear that my favorite writer had taken his own life. I was first turned on to his writing when I was 17 years old. I wrote an ISU(independant Study Unit) on Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas for my Gr. 11 English class, I chose "loss of innocence" as the theme. I received the highest mark(97%) out of both classes in both semesters. It was a strange feeling cause I had never really accomplished such an outstanding mark on such a huge project. Especially because I did the whole thing the night before it was due. I sometimes think that my teacher marked me easier on it because of the subject I choose. He told me he was a fan of Gonzo Journalism about a year later, in the strip club near my house. He was a very cool teacher, young super intelligent, and nice. He actually liked me. Probably the only teacher in the history of time that actually gave 2 shits about where I was going to end up in the next few years.
I remember that night at the strip club like it was yesterday. I was there with my friends, Tyler and Brent(the guy who wrote me the shark email below). I noticed my teacher sitting drinking, so Brent Tyler and I joined him. He was obviously drunk, he had just lost his fiancee, because he had lost his job as a teacher. As it seems the administration does not look kindly on teachers who smoke dope with students. He was very depressed because of these reasons. He told me to pick up the book "where the buffalo roam" because it was the best. We drank more and more Heiniken, and he offered us a ride home. Brent and I exited the car at deer run park. Because he was drunk and we figured we would be safer if we walked the rest of the way. The next morning i left for kingston too see my girlfriend at the time. I remember getting there and reading in the news paper: "Man fire bombs two Masques" and thinking nothing of it. Untill i actually read the article. As it seems, my teacher being very fucked up from the loss of his job, and it being only a few short weeks after the 9/11 attacks, decieded to take justice into his own hands after he had dropped brent and I off. I was beyond disapointed as i read the article, and ever cried. This man was basically my hero, and i was totally crushed to find out he could do something so stupid. Its just not his style.
Much as i am crushed right now, because i cant believe hunter would take his own life. Its just not his style.
i think i will buy where the buffalo roam today.
killed softly at 2/22/2005 10:29:00 AM
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