Hunter S. Thompson autographed with hot lead!

[surprise_i'm_armed]

Hunter S. Thompson, irreverent Gonzo journalist, druggie, Rolling
Stone contributor, and all around American eccentric, lived the last part
of his life on acreage in Colorado.

One day a visiting college professor came by and brought multiple
students with him to meet Hunter S. Thompson.

They all had copies of his books and asked him to autograph them.

He did not do as expected. That was not his way.

He collected all the books, laid them against a tree or some kind of
backstop.

Then he took out a large caliber handgun and put one round through
the middle of each volume.

He handed them back to the students, telling them
"This is better than an autograph!"

What a character!

[Rollin2008]

Then he took out a large caliber handgun and put one round through
the middle of each volume.

He handed them back to the students, telling them
"This is better than an autograph!"

How else is he going to sell more book!!

[casingpoint]

Hunter S. Thompson took a large caliber handgun on Feb. 20, 2005, stuck the barrel in his mouth and pulled the trigger. His son and grandson were in the next room. He didn't do as expected. Or did he?

[surprise_i'm_armed]

Hunter S. Thompson had been experiencing debilitating health problems
and decided to commit suicide while he had the ability to do so.

He had lead a highly colorful life and apparently did not want to be
reduced to a slow lingering death.

He was sitting in his kitchen and talking to his wife on the phone.
He shot himself at the end of the call. His wife hung up a second or
so early and did not realize that this call was his farewell to her.

[The Annoyed Man]

The "large caliber handgun" was a Ruger .44 magnum, of which Thompson was very fond. A former acquaintance of mine used to live across the road from him. Apparently, he made an interesting, entertaining, and sometimes a bit disturbing, neighbor.

[ELB]

As I recall, he wanted his body cremated, the ashes loaded into a cannon and fired. I think he got his wish, but not entirely sure. While he apparently was "colorful," what little I read about him did not recommend him to me for further study...

[Abraham]

Committing such an act while your son and grandson are in the next room is monstrous. (assuming they're not part of the program)

If you must commit suicide, why traumatize those who care about you?

[casingpoint]

I read where Thompson ate green Jello laced with vodka everyday for breakfast. I reckon he was a great writer, but I never could finish anything by Thompson. Maybe it was better if you were on dope. Just not my kind of stuff. I guess he was great in modern journalistic literature like Michael Jackson was great in whatever they've been ranting about him on TV. It kind of makes a cat's rear end now when Thompson could be out fly fishing on the Roaring Fork now instead of counting dead sheep.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

ELB & casingpoint:

It's totally understandable to me how you are not that approving of
his substance use/abuse situation.

What I appreciate about him is that he was an original character who
would live out his life on his own terms.

His style of "the pursuit of happiness" may differ from other men's, but
as an American he was free to do what he wanted.

"Laws, like the spider's web, catch the fly and let the hawk go free."
Spanish proverb.

I believe that HST was a hawk.

[casingpoint]

Thompson lived in Aspen, CO, an area with an unusually high suicide rate.

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