Alcohol
Another 5-Star Review of “Autobiography of George Thomas Clark”
Another 5-Star Review of “Autobiography of George Thomas Clark” “George Thomas Clark, you thought you knew this guy- right? Think again. His, not holding back anything autobiography will put you on edge. George, some call him Tom, will call him crazy, wild, adventurous, and a great guy, but above all, he wanted to be a…
First Review of Autobiography of George Thomas Clark
Attorney Douglas Nareau has written the first review of Autobiography of George Thomas Clark and posted it on Facebook. “I just finished the Autobiography of George Thomas Clark. As some of you know, Tom is a lifetime friend, and I may be a little biased but I couldn’t put the book down and read it…
Autobiography of George Thomas Clark
Autobiography of George Thomas Clark has just been published. In lucid prose George Thomas Clark recalls the challenges of growing up in a family beset by divorce, depression, and alcoholism, and the compensatory joys of playing basketball and other sports. Though academically promising, Clark loses discipline as his drinking and substance abuse worsen and he…
For Flynn
on sunny forest lawn fresh pink flowers lie across errol flynn caressed by lady lost in distant dreams
Babe and Billy
“Hey, Kid, get out here,” Babe says, inhaling cold air and exhaling hard. “This place is our Yankee Stadium.” A wiry man of medium height appears and says, “How about you quit calling me Kid.” “I’ll be happy to, soon as I learn your name.” “How long you need? I’ve been here thirty years.” “I’ve…
Sunday Morning in the Mines
Are you looking at my legs? I bet you are because they’re the best damn legs of anyone in Sunday Morning in the Mines. I know you wonder how my pants, held high by my chest, got those big holes. I don’t remember and don’t want to after another six days digging for gold in…
Moonshine Sip
The moonshine, clear and innocuous as water, is offered in rustic form, in a jar. I inquire about its potency and Mike says: two hundred proof plus. That alarms me since tequila, an unforgiving force from the hallucinogenic mescal cactus, only packs eighty proof. Intrigued by the spirit of youthful experimentation, I sip a little,…
Beer Binge
A lot of kids in high school mature much faster than I and at age sixteen are already six-month veterans of dating, drinking, and pot smoking, and quite ready to play the expert when I decide to try alcohol and ask what it feels like to get drunk. Everyone assures me it’s fun and to…
Yogi Meets Winston
Right, I’m the gatekeeper now. Of course, in my case, that’s with a lower case g. The Big Guy says with the world’s population increasing so fast he’s got to turn the job over to someone else and tend to running this place. My instructions are pretty clear: don’t let in any bad guys, you…
Tiger’s Many Aches
About fifty years ago a wisecracking Brooklyn-born barber clipping in Sacramento took a yellow newspaper article off his wall, handed it to me, and said, “This is for you. And don’t forget, despite all these injuries he’s got more World Series home runs than anyone. How many does your guy Willie Mays have?” Uncharacteristically, I…
Yaqui Lopez Remembers
Please trust that people often used to tell me, “You have the best memory of anyone I ever met.” I could, and often still can, recall details of events decades ago and usually enhance the anecdote by noting the month and year: I moved to California in July 1958, I got my first car in…
Philip Seymour Hoffman
don’t want whole beer only half enough to roll
Careful, Justin Bieber
I’m surrounded by lots of nasty newspaper and magazine articles and insulting letters and want you to understand this deluge on my doorstep is the same or worse than cyber bullying. Not many understand. I’m nineteen and make fifty million a year and fans love me and I’m doing things most my age would do.…
Relapse
Bill suddenly believed he’d just thrown away years of sobriety, consuming many drinks and other evil substances, and was ashamed and frightened and sad, and wondered what happened to clothes and why, butt cold to street, he was knocking on unknown door.
The Right Room
First time in Puerto Vallarta I was hungover standing at basin, looking into fright, when woman popped from stall behind and said sir are you aware this is women’s bathroom. Years later long sober I stood in Bakersfield theater as two women entered and one said what’s guy doing here. Leaving quickly I forgot to…
Middle of River
Don’t go in the American River, kids in our neighborhood were often told. There are branches, rocks, and an undertow you can’t see. Here, read today’s newspaper; another boy’s drowned. We still couldn’t stay out and swam whenever we wanted, never meeting danger until mature enough to drink Friday night. The cops yelled, hey you…
Soul
stranded soul implodes