Hunter S. Thompson typed letter signed from late 1959, when Thompson lived at home for a few months after working at ''Time'' magazine in New York. Signed ''HST'' in bold red pen, Thompson here writes to his high school friend Paul Semonin, entertaining him with stories of mutual friends and life in Louisville, Kentucky. Dated 2 October 1959, letter reads in part, ''I want you to know what you missed tonight, by not being in Louisville. Man, I mean to say, it was absolutely out of this world. / You missed 'An Evening With Rut Lilly,' wirtten, acted, and directed by Rut Littly, and sponsored by the Makers of American Youth, Inc. Jesus, it was awful!...I sat down and made notes on these things as soon as I got home. Listening to him was a stinking nightmare! He is, in all seriousness and compassion, a really frightening ass. And god knows, it's people like Rutledge who're trying to keep the vote from the niggers!...'' Thompson reveals humorous quotes from their friend, including ''...'Right there in the middle of Red Square we were all singing 'Even Lenin Does the Cha-Cha-Cha.' Boy what a ball!'...'It was a miracle, you know, that we won the second world war. If god hadn't been on our side, we'd have lost.' / 'I admire you, Thompson. You know exactly where you're going.'...'' Thompson then continues, ''...These, and other jewels, may be heard for the price on one crotch-note, four pig's teats, or one copy of the original Male High School whomping song...Things here are otherwise bleak and depressing. Everyone is either drunk, pot-bellied, or both. I drove a St. Matthews cab for two nights, made $7 for 22 hours work, quit immediately. I have no money, of course, and my mother keeps asking me when I'm going to finish the book. Hannah Kirby is pleasant, but phoney as a diamond dog's tooth. There is no hope. I'll drown if I stay here much longer, and I seriously doubt that I'll even last long enough to finish the book. I suppose that by this time the sparkle of your Bohemian Year is beginning to peter out; so my final word to you is BEWARE! / Desperately, [signed] HST''. Single page letter measures 8.5'' x 11''. Uniform toning, else near fine condition.
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