Fear And Loathing But With Something You Can Believe

Hey, the reluctant reader is... reading. Albeit slowly, for I often fall into the trap of thinking, "Scan a few of them helvetica A's, B's and C's through to the X, Y's and Z's and let someone tell me a story via mine eyes??? Or shall I blue slim it, crumble, Drum Gold, roll and lick, go for a wander and make up my own stories via them electric cerebral cortex vibes that seem to flit and flick more, ahhhhh..... creatively shall we say, on the streets of S Dub/U London.

The later folly usually (ie always) wins.

So so so, William S. Burrough's "Junky" is the book that has tamed me sober and made me scan a few Susan's of late. This cat, Bill, has got some plush observational skills (me loves a fellow peep who observes and takes in all things around them, sadly they are as rare as a bad Scientist record).


If anyone has ever encountered any purveyor of the junk or any other form of soma in their lives, Burroughs has a vivid eye for observations (which are based mainly in mid period 20th Century New York and New Orleans) of the characters, lifestyles and stories that are involved in the world of the Horse. A user himself he nevertheless relays the fact that you can never trust one them destructors with an old tatty roach. His writing rings true, even in this day and age, proving, I guess, that the junkie is a species that has never evolved through the ages, but is one that can be multi-faceted and in their own way so similar but completely unique.

He delivers a great sense of realism that never leads to anything too depressing for any casual reader. The best bits, for moi, are Burroughs' blatant contempt but rather accurate portrayal of those who be partial to the puff. Check it.

"One day I was broke and I wrapped a pistol to take it in town and pawn it. When I got to Pat's room there were two people there. One was Red McKinney, a shrivelled up, crippled junkie; the other was a young merchant seaman named Cole. Cole did not have a habit at this time and he wanted to connect for some weed. He was a real tea head. He told me he could not enjoy himself without weed. I have seen people like that. For them, tea occupies the place usually filled by liquor. They don't have to have it in any physical sense, but they cannot have a really good time without it."

How many people do you know like that??

Jah Bless.