Homage to bad boys and good times

The revels that welcomed Last Gasp Press’ “Who Killed Hunter S.

Thompson?” essays about the bad boy journalist edited by bad boy journalist

Warren Hinckle, was rip-roaring on Monday, Dec. 11. The space at 111 Minna St. was so crowded, hot and noisy that publisher Ron Turner signed books (on one he wrote “Yours in Christ,” which probably wasn’t a statement reflecting religious fervor) on the sidewalk outside, where it was easier to breathe.

Inside, long tables set up against the wall had place markings for contributors, who, someone had planned, would sit and sign in an orderly way. In reality, there was no such order; most of the places were empty as contributors and fellow travelers hobnobbed with each other and shared memories steeped in alcohol. The tables were decorated with peacock feathers (because Thompson liked peacocks, whose cries were loud enough to disturb his neighbors), and grapefruit (because upon checking into any hotel, “Hunter always ordered grapefruits, Chivas, Absolut, Heinekens and an ice machine,” said Turner).

Tales were told: “Sir, there are no dogs allowed in restaurants,” Markos

Kounalakis recalled a patron telling Hinckle when he showed up with his signature basset hound in tow. “He’s a Seeing Eye dog,” said Hinckle, who in addition to having a signature dog had a signature eye patch. “I knew Hunter when he wore a suit and tie,” recalled journalist Marty Nolan. “He was a correspondent for the National Observer.” Litquake co-founder Jack Boulware admired Hinckle’s writing that the press room at the 1968 Democratic convention smelled “like a lion’s (rectum aperture).” And Eric Christensen’s poster for Hinckle’s mayoral campaign — depicting signs for opponents John Molinari, Art Agnos and

Roger Boas sitting in excrement — was one of the party decorations.

The party was a raucous tribute to Hinckle and Thompson, but definitely an event taking place in the era after the glory days of the past, when the two marinated themselves in booze. The bar was no-host, and 15 feet from the Minna Street entrance, a homeless woman lay passed out on the sidewalk. Next night, in the midst of Nion McEvoy and Leslie Berriman’s holiday party, suddenly it was New Year’s Eve, the Giants had won the World Series, the 49ers were prancing around with the Super Bowl trophy. There were high fives and hugs, and screams of joy.

NBC, it was said Tuesday, Dec. 12, by a guest waving his cell phone in the air, had just given the Alabama election to Doug Jones. If there were any Republicans in the room — actually, I know there was one — they were keeping mum, and smiling just as broadly as the rest of us.

It seemed too good to be true, and in this day of Fake News, two women proclaimed themselves verifiers and stood in a corner of the living room, checking various news reports of the results. The next morning Vail Reese emailed that it had been the first time he’d turned on Fox to get the story. And Audrey Sockolov, who’d been at Berkeley Rep, said a cheer erupted throughout the theater when the news was known, right before the performance. And John Boe wrote to suggest that anyone who wanted to send Alabama a thank-you gift “go to DonorsChoose. org and support an Alabama classroom project.”

PUBLIC EAVESDROPPING “I wish you were a fun friend.” Woman to woman, overheard while Christmas shopping in Menlo Park by Becky Preimesburger

After being locked out of a car after a performance of “Turandot,” Barbara O’Connor got help from a young couple who’d parked in the same Civic Center lot and noticed her troubles. They “offered to give us a ride home to their house for the night, and stayed until the AAA guy showed up, even though they had to drive back to Santa Rosa. It is nice to know there are still caring people in the world.” But “when the woman said, ‘You remind me of my mom and I want you to be safe,’ we thought about hitting her.”

Dire Warnings Gazette: “This whole time of year just seems to pile on the stress, doesn’t it?” says a self-described expert on mental health who wants to be interviewed. Among the things to consider, “crowds of people coming to your house; some of them you don’t even like, but you have to have them over because it’s expected; and top it off with the flu that everyone seems to be bringing with them.”