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Show Giving thanks in different ways Park C ity News Thursday, December 2, 1982 Page A9 by Jeff Howrey Mid-afternoon Thanksgiving Thanksgiv-ing day at the Woodhaus Ski Shop, Bruce Springsteen was playing on the stereo. The store's proprietors were making the best of a working holiday. "We need to be open," the owner rationalized. But it was still a slow day made worse by the fact that almost everybody else in town was at home celebrating. Sprinsteen offered of-fered fitting backdrop: "I do my best to live the right wayI get up every morning, go to work each day I ain't a boy, mister, I'm a manAnd I believe in the promise land." Indeed. Thanksgiving is nothing if not a mass celebration of the promised land. It's a thoroughly American holiday, all about what's right with the United States. Families, pies, patriotism and tradition all rolled into one glorious weekday holiday. Park City is no different than the rest of the country. Thursday afternoon, residents could be seen bustling about from residence resi-dence to residence, sharing the joys of a picture-perfect day with friends and kin. Snowmobilers explored the powder. Skiers yelped with delight. Sledders came crashing to tumbling halts and couldn't get up the hill fast enough to do it again. A thoroughly fun day. For most of us, at least. Back on Park Avenue at the Woodhaus Ski Shop, however, it was just another day on the job. Salesperson Wendy Proctor, in the fine old American spirit of looking on the bright side, cheerily commented, "It's not that bad working on Thanksgiving. We get time and a half and a good lunch." Many others having to work the holiday were similarly optimistic. Park City bus driver Blair Maxwell Max-well enthused, "I've enjoyed it quite a bit today. We've had a few riders. It's not been a bit bad." Over at Skaggs Alpha-Beta, Alpha-Beta, cashier Kenna Pae said she didn't mind missing the parades and football games on the tube. "I don't mind working on Thanksgiving at all," she said. "I kind of like it, 'cause you get to help people who need a few last minute things. It's fun. Besides, we're only open until four and we're going to have dinner din-ner later this evening." Some folks on the job, however, clearly wished they weren't. Pumping gas at the Conoco station wasn't Fred Gillette's idea of an ideal turkey day. "It's a pain in the butt," he commented. "But I need the money." We all need the money, Fred. That's what America's all about when you come down to it. That's what makes all Americans the same regardless of background or birthplace. That American spirit is what brought us all together one beautiful Thanksgiving afternoon in Park City last tfUne sapBaiIlype by Jeff Howrey This world is no place for heroes. We're all too mortal and faulty. My hero taught me that. My hero? None other than the notorious Dr. Hunter Thompson. For the sake of the uninitiated, Thompson (the "Dr." is self bestowed) set the print world on its ear in the early 1970s when he unleashed his wild-eyed "gonzo journalism." His books, most notably the brilliantly hilarious "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," were widely read and much imitated. In fairness, his writings are as much autobiography as journalism. With a penchant for serious drug abuse, firearms and generally pushing things to the max, Thompson chronicles his twisted world view against a backdrop of decaying America. Despite ingesting more dangerous substances sub-stances than humanly possible, Thompson cranks out reams of crystalline prose full of his acid-crazed visions. Thompson lives religiously by the code that you can never have too much of anything, especially wild and crazy times. Hedonism is an essential part of his art. Consequently he has elevated hedonism to a serious art form. If William Blake was right when he said, "The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom," Hunter will greet us at the door when the rest of us party animals finally get there. A dangerous man, to be sure. But an extremely interesting, talented, perceptive and provocative one as well. The social mutant made good. I've always liked his style. A few years back, when I was a starry-eyed college journalist, I used to worship the ground he walked on. So it was with no small pleasure I found myself dispatched to the Salt Lake airport to get Thompson one spring evening in 1977. By then I had managed to finagle my way into a staff job at the University of Utah student newspaper. We were co-sponsoring a campus speaking engagement by Thompson. I found him at the airport bar. Several empty Heineken bottles and an ashtray full of butts littered the table in front of him. Hunter's plane had been early. Or I was late, I forget which. We had more beer. His conversation, though rambling in content, was lucid. (Much more lucid than his speech that evening would prove to be.) Peering through his tinted shades, I noticed his eyeballs dilating rapidly and irregularly. His hand trembled slightly as he pointed out a building of interest on the Salt Lake skyline. Hallucinogens and speed, I figured. All part of the Doctor's style, I assured myself. We had more beer. By the time I got him out of the terminal and into a cab, we were running very late. Hunter requested ganja to calm his nerves. It would not be his last narcotic of the evening. He later snorted nearly a full gram of coke in about 90 seconds. As we hit the outskirts of Salt Lake, Thompson spied a state liquor store. At an extremely dangerous rate of speed, he ordered the driver to pull in. I was sent in to get a fifth of Wild Turkey, Thompson's favorite bourbon. Less than three hours later, he had drunk it all. On the rocks. As twilight gathered, our Checker rushed on towards the University. As we chugged up Fourth South, I gathered my nerve. I wanted my hero's autograph. I sheepishly pushed a glossy eight by ten photo of Thompson across the back seat towards him. "Just put, 'To Jeff,'" I requested. Thompson nodded, scrawled something rapidly and threw the photo back at me. He took another draw on the Wild Turkey and emitted an indistinguishable noise somewhere between a laugh and a belch. I retrieved the photo. There wasn't enough light to read the inscription. Besides, I was too embarassed to fawn over it while in my hero's presence. I stuffed the picture away in my backpack. Only later would I discover what he'd written: "To Jeff: God's mercy on us all, Dr. Hunter S. Thompson." At first, I thought it was a joke. But with each passing year, those simple words have made more and more sense. I guess in some ways the good Doctor is still my hero. You've just got to respect anybody smart enough to realize that it all comes down to God's mercy on us all. week. Old-timers, locals and tourists we were all just proud Americans that day. Our circumstances differed dif-fered somewhat, though. Some people had their families at hand to share the joy of it all. Some didn't. One typical gathering of out-of-staters found a bunch of overgrown kids huddled in a house on the edge of town on a day meant for being with relatives. They passed the time with camaraderie and diversions like food, television and records. As the night fell, a fitting Thanksgiving epitath issued forth from the stereo: "Let's drink to the hardworking hard-working peopleLet's drink to the lonely at birthRaise your glass to the good and the evilLet's drink to the salt of the earthSay a prayer for the common foot-soldierSay foot-soldierSay a prayer for his back-breaking workSay a prayer for his wife and his childrenThat burn the fires and still till the earth ... Raise your glass to the salt , of the earth. " Directory deadline extended In deference to Mr. Tom Turkey, the deadline for submitting listings for the 1983 Park City Postal Directory Direc-tory has been extended to Monday, Dec. 6. "We're making a major effort to stamp out postal problems and help Parkites and visitors alike get their mail delivered by furnishing a complete and accurate list of names, addresses, phone numbers and Post Office box numbers for all residents in the Park City Postal District," Dis-trict," says Raye Ringholz and Juli Bertagnole, co-publishers. co-publishers. "The only way we can approach 100 percent coverage is if everyone in the city limits, Snyderville area, Summit Park, etc., sends us his information." One of the most helpful features will be a new directory of information, containing information provided pro-vided by the city, Post Office, Park City Chamber , of Commerce and Convention Conven-tion Bureau and others. It will tell you things such as whom to call when the pipes freeze, what is the current bus schedule, as well as liquor store hours and locations. loca-tions. The residential and business map section will also be updated. "We solicit the cooperation of everyone in making this new book even more successful success-ful than the first. Remember, Remem-ber, a former listing doesn't count We're starting from scratch." Listing forms are available avail-able and may be deposited at the Main Street and Emporium Em-porium Post Offices, the Kimball Art Center, the Park City Library, or be mailed to RAYE-AD, Star Route, Box 8, Park City, Utah, 84060. The Fantastic Gump & Ayers Presents the 1 5 Best Buys in Park City Real Estate Today Are you one of those people who has always wished he had bought in Park City before the big real estate boom of 1976? Once in a great while there is an opportunity to buy resort property at unusually low prices. With the current imbalance of supply and demand, now is one of those times. The selection is the best ever. The values are exceptional. Many properties feature excellent financing. You don't want to miss out on Park City property again, do you? Its been over eight years since values like this were offered. It may never happen again. Our 25 real estate agents have spent the past week researching the inventory of the Park City Multiple Listing Service. From the more than 800 listings currently on the market, we have zeroed in on the 15 Best Buys in Park City today. This analysis includes condominiums, homes, lots and acreages, and commercial com-mercial properties. It features the listings of our competition as well as our own. In order to compile adequate comparable data, our "Fantastic 15" Best Buys is composed of resales only. No new developments develop-ments are included, although many offer excellent buys. It took us a week to narrow in on the 15 properties which offer you the best prices andor terms available. We can show them to you in less than a day. If you would like a list of these properties and the reasons you can't go wrong buying now, or if you would like to arrange your own personal tour; please call, write, or stop by our office today. DON'T BE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO IN 1985 WILL WISH HE HAD BOUGHT IN PARK CITY IN 1982. GUMP & AYERS REAL ESTATE INC. Park Meadows Plaza, Park City, Utah 84060 801-649-8550 i z i frZZ" SKI resort fat, . J fj wJr- Vka r - Sv :: i r:4 $ V Y QUEEN ESTHERH DAYSTAR, UN f . V - ?v r V' - - i 'Tkk &.S park meadows plaza mt-. ' ;t- ''1,. V;, ;-f '' i V;- RACQUET CLUB fXg' t :ff k "'W$T wB3t y" I YOU ARE INVITED f-i ir2 pdf t . Ymm to visit our beautiful, professionally decorated condominium .- 'i f'5r i'tt K ' " LAKEVIEW COTTAGES models. Each project Gump and Ayers represents is unique and I i ' : 'J 'J ' " offers only the highest quality construction, workmanship and " ' ' W'".'? -'-jT v"4$N t -v- JACK NICKLAUS attention to detail. From Park Meadows on the Jack Nicklaus ; ' ',CV -j'V ft ' 1 GOLF COURSE Golf Course to the wealth of opportunity In Deer Valley, one of JV , , ' "j. I AT PARK MEADOWS these projects is perfect for you. ' 1 . itt'' Jkil ? " "'" by an ' our models ,or more information, or call the W'-f " "" ' '' Gump and Ayers office for a personal tour. , a . i'4t'"f rV IJMWP Gump 4 Ayers Real Estate, Inc. 5 .-i ' "X IrVVi Park Meadows Plaza " IHOMESITES , Iinfl 1500 Highway 248 East 1 " ViFAIRWAYVILLAGE jJJ PajkCity,h 84060 I iMJLiJilLiilu lULULXiumi urn in 1 1 1 1 ii ii r niiTriiriii "-" ...d , ... TM-- imimanH h-iM r ,JU"-M 1 """" "-jjMM Id |